


Tales of Lucis

by fmpsimon



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Drabbles, F/M, Fluff, Gladnis, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Promptis - Freeform, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-09-17 08:27:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 34,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9313478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fmpsimon/pseuds/fmpsimon
Summary: Collection of interconnected short stories from various characters' points of view (mainly from Noctis's and Prompto's) from the years leading up to the Fall of Lucis through the events of the game.





	1. Luna

_You’ll never believe it.  I actually made a friend.  A real friend this time too, not some phony who just wants to be treated like royalty.  Here’s a picture of us.  Those are our school uniforms.  Hard to believe that I still have a few years to go.  It will be easier with Prompto.  And I guess I’m lucky my dad lets me go to normal school at all.  I know you can’t really tell me much, but I hope you’re doing okay.  Maybe when this war is finally over, I can come to see you in Tenebrae.  And Prompto could come too.  He’s already said how much he wants to meet you.  I really like him.  I hope he doesn’t get sick of me.  Wish I could write more, but I’ve got schoolwork to do, and I don’t want to make Umbra wait._

            Lunafreya Nox Fleuret smiled, setting the book down.  She held the picture up.  This was the first time in a long time that she had seen a photograph of Noctis.  This was also the first time in long time that he had really opened up to her.  He looked truly happy and she was glad for it.  And she was happy for Prompto too.  He had finally taken her advice and befriended the prince.  She wondered what had taken him so long.

            “You look pleased, my lady.”  Gentiana had swept into the room without Luna even realizing it.  That was usually her way.  She smiled serenely.  “Ah, Umbra has returned with the book.”  Luna nodded.  “What does the young prince have to say this time?”

            “He sent me a photo.”  She held it out to Gentiana.  “Prince Noctis and his friend Prompto Argentum.”  Luna turned her eyes toward the picture again, smiling warmly.  “I knew they would be fast friends…if they could only meet properly,” she said, more to herself than to her companion.

            “He looks very well,” Gentiana said thoughtfully.  “He is growing into a handsome young man.  Don’t you think?”

            Luna blushed a little.  Gentiana could be so forward sometimes.  “He _is_ cute, but he is only fifteen—still a child.  We haven’t seen each other for over seven years, yet…it doesn’t seem like he has changed much in that time.”  The color in her alabaster skin returned to normal.  “Besides, Prince Noctis has his duties, and so do I.”

            Gentiana bowed her head slightly.  “My apologies, Lady Lunafreya.  I was just…thinking aloud.”

            Luna smiled at her, a sweet smile, one that she had practiced over many years in the public eye.  “It’s only natural for you to wonder the nature of our relationship.  We met as children and we have been exchanging letters ever since.  If people knew, they would surely talk.  But I assure you, there is no secret romance between us, at least for my part.  I do love Noctis.  Truth be told, he has been more of a brother to me than Ravus has in the past few years.  Noctis and I have become closer, while Ravus has become increasingly distant.”  She opened the book to the next page and took out a pen.  Turning to Gentiana, she said, “I will write Noctis a short response, and then I will meet you in the foyer.  I’m sure there are many people waiting to meet with me today.”

            “As you wish, my lady,” Gentiana said, then made her exit.

            Luna smiled as she started to write.  _Noctis, you don’t know how glad it makes me to see you so happy._


	2. Noctis

“Hold still—Noct, quit fidgeting!”

            Noctis Lucis Caelum frowned, fixing his hair, trying to hide the color that had crept into his cheeks.  “You said this would be quick.”

            “It _would_ be, if you’d stop moving around.”  Prompto Argentum threw his arm around the prince, pulling him close, while holding his other arm out to take the photograph.  “Okay, smile!  You graduated!”  The shutter clicked and Prompto released him, clapping him on the back.  He reviewed the picture on the camera and smiled, satisfied with the result.

            “So, are you going to tell me your big plans for tonight or what?” Noctis said flatly as they walked.  He glanced at his best friend, who was staring straight ahead with a sly grin on his face.  “What?” he asked, bemused.  “What’s that look for?”

            Prompto gave his head a quick shake.  “No look.  What look?  It’s not like I’ve got the best night of your life planned.”

            “Man, I just wanted to relax and play video games,” Noctis whined.  “Last time you threw a party, I swear half the girls were hookers.”

            “Relax, relax,” Prompto said breezily, putting his arm around the prince, which caused him to tense up a little.  “There aren’t gonna be any girls.”  Noctis eyed him.  “Believe it or not, I do listen to you.  Once in a while,” he smirked.

            “Uh-huh,” Noctis said, though he wasn’t entirely convinced.  “So, what _do_ you have planned, then?”

            “I ordered a few pizzas from that place you love down the street,” Prompto said, grinning.  “We’ll pick up some beer, and stay up all night playing video games.  How does that sound?”

            Noctis relaxed, smiling.  “That sounds awesome.  No veggie pizzas, though.”

            Prompto looked offended.  “I wouldn’t dream of it.”  His expression transitioned easily into a smile as he pulled out his phone.  “Now, I just need to cancel those hookers,” he joked.  Noctis gave him a gentle shove and they both laughed.

            “Is there any more beer?” Prompto asked several hours later, his head hanging upside down off the couch, while his feet stuck up in the air.

            Noctis looked up at him from the floor.  “How many have you had?”

            Prompto thought a moment, then held up his hand.  “Three or four, I dunno.”

            “Then we are officially out,” Noctis said.  Seeing his friend’s look of disappointment, he said, “Thanks for the fun night.”  He took a deep breath, looking away.  “I’m glad it was just the two of us.”

            “Well, you don’t have any other friends,” Prompto teased, straightening out.  He put his hand to his head, steadying himself in a brief moment of dizziness, then flopped down next to Noctis on the floor.  When he brushed his arm against the prince, Noctis tensed and color crept into his cheeks.

            “So, what’s next for you?” Noctis said as he lay on his back, one hand behind his head.  He was a little buzzed after three beers, but it hadn’t erased the fear from his mind.  He had gotten pretty used to seeing Prompto every day, and their graduation marked the end of that more than anything else.  “More school?  Job prospects?”

            Prompto snorted.  “Nope.”  He picked at his fingernails, a bit of a nervous tic.  “I’m gonna take some time off, take pictures, study photography on my own…”

            Noctis raised an eyebrow.  “You really like that stuff, don’t you?”

            “There’s something calming about it, I guess,” Prompto said.  He bit his lip, thinking, or maybe stalling.  “And…I’ve spent so much time by myself that having pictures all around me—all those smiling faces—it makes it feel less…lonely.  Y’know?”

            “Sure.”  Noctis had wondered about Prompto’s family for a long time, but it seemed like a sore subject, so he had never asked.  His own family life hadn’t been stellar: his mother had died when he was a child.  His father had tried his best, but being king didn’t really allow for a lot of father-son bonding time.  In the end, he was mostly raised my Ignis and Gladio, who were like older brothers to him at this point.  Prompto had come into his life when he was fifteen, when they had just started high school.  They became fast friends and were soon inseparable.  And then a day came when Noctis felt a pit in his stomach; his palms started to sweat, and he got nervous, just by being alone with Prompto.  He didn’t take any notice of girls anymore, even though it had been drilled into him that he should.  He didn’t know quite what to think, because nobody had ever made him feel this way before.  But he never said anything, or acted on his feelings.  He had no idea how Prompto felt about him, other than that he considered Noctis his best friend.  And Noctis had tried to convince himself many times over that that was enough.  These butterflies would eventually go away.  But here he was, years later, with clammy hands, color in his cheeks, and a pit in his stomach.

            They were both silent for some time, while the 8-bit video game music played low in the background, the game all but completely forgotten.  Prompto’s phone buzzed and he checked it.  His eyes got wide momentarily.  “Man, it’s already after one.  Ugh, I do _not_ want to walk home.  D’you mind if I crash here tonight?”

            “Be my guest,” Noctis said, yawning widely.  “I might just sleep right here, anyway.”

            “All right!  Sleepover!” Prompto said gleefully.  “Do you have any sleeping bags?”

            Noctis closed his eyes.  “I’m not much of a camper.”  He heard the sound of the camera shutter clicking and his eyes snapped back open.  “Are you taking pictures of me?”

            Prompto had guilt written all over his face.  “No.  Okay, yes, but it’s for posterity, bro!”

            “Well, take some pictures of you too, then,” Noctis said.

            Prompto scoffed.  “Why would I want pictures of myself?”

            “Not for you, for me,” Noctis said.  He back-pedaled slightly.  Maybe that was crossing the line.  “I mean, it’s not fair you have all these embarrassing shots of me, and I don’t have any of you.”

            Prompto lay back down beside him, moving in as close as possible, so that Noctis could feel the warmth spreading to his own body.  He raised the camera out high above them, being careful to get them both in the shot.  Noctis felt his face getting hotter; it seemed like Prompto was on top of him.  Oh, God, his pants were starting to feel tight at his groin.  “Man, are you okay?” Prompto said, a touch of concern in his voice, as Noctis suddenly sat up.

            “Yeah, I just have to pee.”  He breathed a sigh of relief when he was safe behind the bathroom door.  He glanced down at his erection, then quickly looked away.  “Dammit,” he murmured, pinching his arms as he tried to distract himself.  Pain would make it go away, he told himself, biting down on his hand.  No, pain wasn’t working, and it might have even been turning him on even more.  “Shit,” he whispered through clenched teeth.  He wracked his brain for unpleasant and, more importantly, unerotic thoughts, but all he could see in his mind’s eye was Prompto.  Okay, old ladies, dead puppies and kittens, Gladio and Ignis lecturing him, his father's disapproving expression.  That was it.  The last time he had gotten that look had been a few weeks ago.  The king had called him to his room; he had wanted Noctis to continue his education, go to a university where he would receive a well-rounded education in politics, the sciences, mathematics, and cultural studies.  Of course he declined, completely disinterested in spending the next several years of his life locked in a musty classroom.  And then he had mentioned the magic word: Prompto.

 

_"Noctis," King Regis said, "I know you've finally found a good friend, and I couldn't be happier that he is so loyal to you."  Noctis crossed his arms, unable to contain the deep frown on his face.  "But you cannot expect to lead Lucis without a proper understanding of our political system."_

_"Isn't that what advisors are for?" Noctis said._

_"Yes, and you need a proper education to be able to appoint the most suitable advisors."  Regis sighed.  "You need to surround yourself with a different class of people than your friend," he said, a pained expression on his face._

_"_ Class _?" Noctis repeated incredulously.  "Wow, Dad.”  He let out an exasperated sigh.  Now, he couldn’t associate with Prompto because he wasn’t in the right class.  “I'm eighteen—let me have a life for once, okay?"  He tried not to get angry.  His dad didn't understand; he was born old.  "It's not like you're going anywhere anytime soon."  He turned around and headed for the door, then paused.  "And if you_ are _on the way out, I think I deserve some time to live before I get shut up in this palace for the rest of my life."_

_"Noct."  And there it was, the disapproving frown.  "Don't make light of this.  When the time comes to take my place, I want you to be prepared.  So far, you haven't impressed me."_

_He shook his head, laughing ruefully.  "Nice talk, Dad!" Noctis called, walking out the door, giving his hand a little wave._

 

"Noct, Noct!" came Prompto's sing-song voice along with a rapping on the door.  "Doing okay in there?"

            "Uh," Noctis stammered.  His erection had gone down, thank God.  He flushed the toilet and turned the faucet on.  After washing his hands, he slowly opened the door.

            "Are you okay?" Prompto asked, peering at him.  "You look pale, man."  He bit his lip.  "Maybe I should go home."

            "No," Noctis said quickly, almost anxiously.  "I mean, I'm good.  Probably just had too much to drink or something."  He rubbed the back of his neck.

            Prompto cocked his head, eyeing him with those piercing blue eyes.  "Are you sure, bro?  'Cause I can totally go if you want me to."

            "No, I'm good," he said again, placing a hand on Prompto's back.  "Let's...watch a movie or something."

            Prompto grinned crookedly and they flopped back down on the couch.  Noctis began to fade as soon as the opening credits rolled.  He was somewhat of an expert in sleeping, and he could do it anywhere at any time.  First his eyelids started to feel heavy, and he struggled to keep them open.  He leaned against his friend, shoulder to shoulder, then eventually he slid down far enough to rest his head on Prompto's arm.  He was so tired, he didn't care if he was crossing a line.  All he wanted right now was to be comfortable, and the heat coming off of his best friend's body was so inviting.  At some point, he must have drifted off, because when his eyes fluttered open again, it was morning.  He was still on the couch, although his head was now on Prompto's thigh.  He shifted his body and felt Prompto stir, and the arm that he had not noticed was there wrapped around his shoulders a little more tightly, while strong fingers gripped his arm.  He knew Prompto was sleeping and that he wasn’t conscious of it, but he took comfort in it all the same.  It felt nice.  He closed his eyes again, a contented smile on his lips.  Prompto didn’t seem like he was waking up anytime soon, so he might as well enjoy this a little bit longer.


	3. Iris

            Noctis stared at himself in the mirror.  He felt awkward in a dress shirt and suit pants; his jacket was slung over a nearby chair while he fiddled with the tie around his neck.  He had been struggling with it for the last fifteen minutes; tying and untying it.  He just couldn’t get it right.  Suddenly the door burst open, and Noctis snapped his head up.  Iris Amicitia was standing in the doorway, clutching the back of her dress.  Her cheeks flushed immediately.  “Sorry!” she said breathlessly.  “I didn’t know you were in here.  I’m looking for Gladdy—have you seen him?”

            He stopped fumbling with his tie, eyeing her.  She seemed upset; her eyes even looked a little red and puffy, like she had been crying.  “Sorry, uh, I haven’t seen him.”

            Her face fell even further.  “Oh, okay, thanks.  Sorry to bother you—”

            She started out the door.  “Iris, wait—what’s up?  Maybe _I_ can help.”

            “Um.”  She turned back around, still clutching the back of her dress.  If it was possible, her face became even redder.  She slowly closed the door.  “Promise you won’t laugh at me?”

            He smiled.  “Why would I laugh at you?”

            She took a deep breath.  “Okay.  Well, I was getting ready for the party and…I got the zipper caught in the fabric.  It’s stuck, so I can’t even pull it back down.  And this dress is so tight that I can’t get it off without being able to move the zipper!”

            Noctis had to bite back a laugh.  From her demeanor, he had expected a real problem.  But, then again, she was fifteen.  This _was_ a real problem to her.  He approached her.  “Here, turn around.”  She did so begrudgingly.  “And you’re gonna need to let go of the dress.”

            She hung her head and muttered, “This is _not_ how I wanted this night to go.”

            “C’mon, Iris,” he coaxed.  “It’s no big deal.”

            “Says you,” she grumbled.

            He wracked his brain, trying to think of something to say to set her mind at ease.  He’d known her since she was a little girl.  He’d seen her run around topless when she was small.  Of course, he reminded himself, she was fifteen, not five.  “Just imagine I’m Gladio or something,” he finally said.

            “Huh?!”  She turned her head, blushing furiously.  “Ew!”  She turned away from him again.  “Just fix it, Noct!”

            After a bit of hesitation, she uncurled her fingers and let go of the dress.  He made quick work of it, pulling the fabric loose without damaging it.  Then he zipped it up for her and gave her a pat on the shoulder for good measure.  “All done.  See?  That wasn’t so bad.”

            She turned to face him, smiling shyly.  “Thanks, Noct,” she said, averting her eyes.  God, she wouldn’t stop blushing.  What was she so embarrassed about, anyway?  She glanced up and spotted the half-knotted tie around his neck.  “Do you need…help with that?”

            “Huh?  Oh, this.”  He tugged on the necktie.  ”Sure.”

            “I always help Gladdy,” she said happily, “on the rare occasion he needs to wear one.”

            He made occasional awkward eye contact with her as she worked on the necktie.  “How do you know how to do this, anyway?”

            “A woman knows,” she said with a crooked smile.  “There,” she said as she finished the knot, sliding it up to his collar.  “All done,” she echoed his words.

            “Thanks,” he said, adjusting the knot at his collar.

            Iris clasped her hands behind her back.  “Well, I’d better get over there.”  He nodded, straightening his tie in the mirror.  She opened the door, then turned towards him.  “Hey, Noct.  I know there’ll be a lot of girls there to dance with, but…save one for me, okay?”

            His breath caught in his throat.  Dancing?  He hadn’t planned on doing anything like that.  And why did Iris want to dance with him?  She was being so weird.  “Uh,” he stammered.  “We’ll see.  I’m not much of a dancer.  I’d probably just step on your feet,” he said with a nervous laugh.

            She looked a little crestfallen for a moment, then made a quick recovery.  “Sure.  Whatever.  I’ll see you there, then.”  And then she was gone.

            He stared after her for a moment, wondering why she was so flustered.  He dismissed the thought.  _Must be her age_ , he thought.  He grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the chair and put it on.  Though he had been unable to hear it, he realized now that his phone was vibrating in the breast pocket.  He pulled it out and quickly answered the call.  “What’s up?”

            “I’ve been calling you for ten minutes, Noct,” came Prompto’s somewhat annoyed voice.  “What’s going on?  Are you at the party?  Are there lots of gorgeous ladies?”

            Noctis could just about hear his friend salivating through the phone.  “I haven’t gone in yet.”  He was walking down the corridor now, his unoccupied hand in his pocket.  “I was helping Iris with her dress.”

            “You were what?!”  Prompto sounded scandalized.  “Isn’t she a little young for you, dude?”

            Noctis frowned and he slowed his walk.  “Huh?  What—no!  It wasn’t like that,” he snapped.

            “I mean, I know she’s got a mega crush on you and all, but I didn’t think you reciprocated,” Prompto continued as if he hadn’t heard anything.

            “Hey, I don’t,” Noctis shot back forcefully.  “Wait—what?  What do you mean, crush?  She’s like my little sister.  That’d be weird.”  He halted when he saw Iris standing a few doors down, outside the ballroom entrance.  She seemed to be waiting for something.  She gave him a small wave.  He wondered if she had heard what he said.  “Hey, Prompto, I gotta go.”

            “Wait—is Luna there?” he asked desperately.  “I _really_ wanna meet her!  Maybe I could, like, meet you afterwards?  I know I can’t go in, but—”

            “She’s not here, anyway,” Noctis said abruptly.  “Look, I’ll call you later.  We can hang afterwards.”

            “Uh, okay,” Prompto said quietly.  “Have fun, I guess.”

            Noctis hung up and approached Gladio’s sister.  “You didn’t have to wait for me, you know,” he said, smiling.  It was forced, but maybe she wouldn’t know the difference.

            Iris looked down.  “I, uh, wasn’t.  I just…wasn’t ready to go in yet.”  She looked up at him, smiling weakly, and he noticed her eyes were a little glassy.

            He felt uncomfortable.  He didn’t really know what to say or how to behave.  She was clearly upset about something, but it was a mystery to him.  “Um, do you want to come in with me?”  He rubbed the back of his neck.  “I’m dreading going in, so you’d really be helping me out if we went together,” he tried.

            Iris’s smile became more genuine.  “You mean it?  You wouldn’t be embarrassed to make your entrance with _me_ on your arm?”

            “Huh?”  Who said anything about her being on his arm?

            She curled her arm around his and squeezed him excitedly.  “You’re the best, Noct!”  He swallowed and they stepped into the ballroom.

            As it turned out, Iris was right.  He _was_ expected to dance, and with, not one, but nearly ten different young women, in all varying shapes and sizes.  He didn’t remember any of their names, though they all knew his.  One or two of them had grabbed his ass during the dance, causing him to blush and remove himself from the dancefloor.  Towards the end of the evening, he finally got some relief.  It seemed there were no more eligible women wanting to dance with him.

And then he spotted Iris.  She was all alone, seated at a table, mesmerized by the dancing couples.  They were doing some kind of waltz now and she watched their feet with rapture.  He sighed and sat down next to her.  “Did you get out there yet?”

            She looked up at him, surprised.  Then her face softened into a tired smile.  “No.  There’s no one here my age.”  A sigh escaped her lips as she dreamily stared at the dancers.  “They’re amazing, aren’t they?  The way they almost float around the floor.”

            He turned to look at them and was surprised when he agreed.  He had never really appreciated dancing in the past but he had to admit, the way they moved was impressive.  “Pretty sure I didn’t look like that out there.”

            “Well, you have two left feet, Noct,” she said, giggling.

            He looked offended for a moment, then laughed.  “You got me there.”  She smiled up at him, then looked back to the dancers.  “Hey,” he began, “my dance card is empty.”

            Iris turned to him, her eyes shining.  “You mean it?”

            He stood up and offered her his hand.  “Lady Iris, may I have this dance?”  He was laying it on thick, but it was worth it.  She deserved to be danced with, even if he wasn’t the best partner.  Iris giggled again, taking his hand, and they hurried out to the dancefloor.  By the time they got there, the waltz had ended.  Some kind of slow song was playing.  He didn’t know the steps, but she did, and she tried to help him along.  In the end, she led the dance and he just mirrored her.  There was a lot of laughter at his expense, but he didn’t really care.  He was finally having some fun at an event he didn’t think could ever be fun.  When the song was over, Noctis escorted her off the dancefloor.

            Gladio was standing there, a smug smile on his face.  Iris ran to him, giving him a hug.  “You finally came, Gladdy!” she cried.  “Did you see me and Noct out there?”

            Noctis blushed under his bodyguard’s gaze.  “I did,” Gladio replied.  “That was good of him to make time for you.  I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”

            Noctis shrugged.  “It was fun.”  He smiled at Iris.  “I think I’ll call it a night, though.”  He bowed his head slightly, before turning around and heading for the door.  He had barely made it out the door when he heard Iris calling his name.

            “Noct, wait!” she called, hurrying to catch up.  He turned around.  “I had a lot of fun with you out there, so…I wanted to thank you properly.”  Before he had time to wonder what that meant, she grabbed his arms, stood on her toes, and kissed his cheek.  “Good night!”

            A small gasp escaped his lips as she ran away, back to Gladio, who had a bemused expression on his face.  Maybe she _did_ have a crush on him.  He shook it off.  She was only fifteen.  It wouldn’t stick, especially if he didn’t encourage it.  And he didn’t plan to.  He had his own emotions to work through.  Noctis pulled his phone out of his pocket, remembering he had promised to call Prompto.  His best friend sounded drowsy when he answered the phone, and he couldn’t help but smile.  “Hey,” Noctis said.  “You still want to hang?  I still want to see you.”


	4. Prompto

_Summer 755_

 

            He peeked around the corner of the building, sweaty palms pressing flat against the brick.  There were some Crownsguard men stationed at the front entrance.  He recognized the tall, burly one, having met him once before.  Gladiolus Amicitia.  The guy scared the crap out of him, with more power in his little finger than Prompto had in his entire body.  He took a deep breath, clenching his fists and jogging a little in place.  He could do this, definitely.  Then why weren’t his legs moving?  “C’mon, it’s no big deal.  You got this.”  Dropping his arms at his sides, he stuck his chest out and marched towards them.

            He stopped in front of the two Crownsguard, swelling with confidence.  “I’m here to see Noct,” he said, crossing his arms.  Gladiolus mirrored him, and raised his eyebrows, and it seemed like he’d grown several feet taller.  “Um, I mean…I have an appointment with Prince Noctis,” he stammered.

            “Who are you?” Gladiolus grunted, looming over him.

            Prompto gulped, but mustered enough courage to say his name.  “Prompto Argentum.  I’m…his best friend.  And you’re…”

            “His bodyguard,” Gladiolus finished.

            “Right…That would explain all the…muscles,” he said, his eyes roving over the man’s thick arms and bulging chest.  He chewed on his lip and none of them spoke for a good minute.  “So…can I go inside?”

            “You can wait right here, blondie.”  Gladiolus took a step towards him.  Damn, he was intimidating.

            “Oh, o-okay,” Prompto murmured nervously.  Lowering his voice significantly, he added, “It’s Prompto.”

            “What?”  Gladiolus cast him a challenging look.

            “Nothing!” Prompto yelped.  He looked around, then went back to chewing on his lip, rocking back and forth on his heels.  “So, nice weather, huh?”

            “Do you have to talk?” Gladiolus grumbled.

            Prompto froze under the bodyguard’s icy glare.  “Uh…no.  Sorry.  I’ll shut up.”

            “I’d appreciate it.”  Gladiolus went back to his post, staring resolutely ahead.

            Prompto fidgeted like crazy for the next few minutes.  He checked his phone.  What was taking Noct so long?  Every minute he was out here was another opportunity for him to say or do something to tick the bodyguard off.  And if he didn’t hurry, they were going to miss that movie.  He couldn’t stand still, always kicking the toe of his shoe on the ground or lifting his knees up, one at a time, and he crossed and uncrossed his arms more times than he could count.

            The prince’s bodyguard let out a prolonged sigh.  “Stop it, blondie.  You’re distracting me.”

            “I’m not bothering _this_ guy!” Prompto snapped, thumbing towards the other guard, and instantly regretted it.  “I mean, oh, man, I didn’t mean anything by that!”  He stared at Gladiolus, eyes wide, as the much larger, much more muscular man cracked his knuckles.  “Oh, please,” Prompto begged, terrified by the vein popping out of the man’s forehead.  “You wouldn’t kill me in broad daylight, would you?”

            “Gladio!”  Prompto snapped his head up, spotting Noctis walking down the stairs his gait relaxed but with a subtle urgency.  He had been so petrified, he hadn’t even heard the door open.  “Leave him alone, would you?  You know you make him piss his pants.”

            Gladiolus grunted, then smiled slightly.  He clapped a rough hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “I was just messin’ with you, kid.”

            “Yeah, sure,” Prompto squeaked, although he wasn’t entirely convinced.

            “We met before.  You’re the photographer, right?”  Prompto nodded quickly.  Gladiolus grunted again, though he wasn’t sure if it was in approval or not.  “So, where are you taking the prince without his bodyguard?”

            “Just a movie, sir,” Prompto said.

            “Don’t call him ‘sir,’” Noctis interjected, nudging him in the shoulder.  Prompto had seen it before, but it still shocked him how much his best friend talked back to a man who could literally break him in half.

            Gladiolus grinned smugly.  “He can call me ‘sir’ if he wants.”

            “C’mon, Prompto, we’re going now.”  Noctis grabbed his arm, pulling him away.  Prompto glanced over his shoulder a little nervously.  Gladiolus was exchanging words with Ignis, Noctis’s advisor.  He had met him as well, but only once or twice.  It was difficult to read both of them; he could never tell what they were thinking about him.  They probably wondered why Noctis spent so much time with him, when he was so far beneath the prince in every possible way.

            Noctis didn’t let go of his arm until after they were well out of sight of the palace, although he loosened his grip so that it felt comforting and not controlling.  “So, what are we doing?” he said at length.

            Prompto eyed him for a moment, puzzled.  “Uh, I thought we were seeing a movie.”

            “Nah,” Noctis dismissed.  “Between all the training with Gladio and lessons with Ignis, I hardly ever get to go anywhere.  I don’t want to spend my time with you in a theater.  We can’t even talk in there.”

            “But you don’t like to talk,” Prompto pointed out.  “I usually do enough of that for both of us.”

            Noctis shrugged.  “I prefer it that way.”

            Prompto smiled, though he wasn’t really sure if his friend was serious or not.  He thought a moment.  “Well…we could go grab a burger.”

            Noctis nodded.  “Sure.  Then hang out at your place.”

            “Uh…I’m not really supposed to have people over,” Prompto said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck.  Noctis gave him a questioning look, but didn’t press him, which he was thankful for.

            “You’re lucky you weren’t chewing gum,” Noctis said, unwrapping his burger.  They had just sat down, having spent the rest of the walk discussing how terrifying Gladiolus could be.  “He _hates_ it when people chew gum.  Something about the smacking noises.”

            Prompto laughed.  “Yeah, well I didn’t piss my pants, but thanks for reminding everyone of my first meeting with him.”  Noctis smirked, his mouth full, and Prompto started picking at his salad.  He was still keeping himself on a strict diet, and his mouth watered a little seeing the juices dripping out of Noctis’s hamburger.  But he only allowed himself one cheat day a week, and he had already used it.

            Noctis frowned mid-bite, setting his burger down.  “Oh, maybe I shouldn’t eat this stuff in front of you.”

            “Huh?”  Prompto shrugged, wondering why he suddenly cared.  “Nah, man.  It’s cool.”

            Noctis eyed him.  “You sure?”

            “Totally.”  He flashed him a grin before starting on his salad again.  “So…whatever happened with that girl you were seeing?”  Prompto wasn’t sure why that had popped into his head, or why it should matter to him.  But for some reason, tonight, he cared whether Noct was single or not.

            “Uh,” Noctis began, visibly rattled by the question, “nothing much.”

            “What?  You didn’t like her?” Prompto prodded, stabbing a tomato with his fork.

            The prince recoiled, turning his head to drink from his soda.  He shrugged his shoulders.  “Wasn’t really my type.”

            “Uh-huh,” Prompto continued.  “That’s what you said about the last four or five girls you went on dates with.”

            “Yeah, well, maybe I don’t want to date a girl,” Noctis shot back somewhat belligerently.  His cheeks flushed instantly, and he stammered, “I mean, I don’t want to date anyone right now.”

            Prompto nodded.  “Sure, bro.”  He knew he had stepped over the line a little, but he had wanted information.  He _still_ wanted it, though he wasn’t sure why.  But knowing that Noctis hadn’t been interested in any of those girls made Prompto’s stomach do a backflip, while his heart raced and his head spun.

            The night was uneventful, typical for them.  They ended up at an arcade, and played games until it closed, near midnight.  Once or twice, he felt like Noct’s touch lingered just a little too long, or his arm around his shoulders was a little tighter than normal.  He tried to ignore it; maybe his mind was playing tricks on him tonight.  Maybe he only felt this way because deep down, he wanted something else from his best friend.  But Noct _had_ been acting a little strange.  Afterwards, Noctis had insisted on calling a cab and seeing Prompto home.  He had never done that before, but it _was_ late, after all.  Noct was just being kind.

            “You can crash on my couch if you want,” Prompto suggested.

            Noctis looked at him like he was mulling it over, his fingers tapping on the side of the taxi door.  “I thought you weren’t allowed to have people over.”

            Prompto gave him a weak smile, caught in his lie.  “Well, it’s late.  And it’d save you the cab fare home.”  Why was he pushing this?

            “Thanks, but I’d better not.”  What did that mean?  “You know how I’m a late sleeper—I probably wouldn’t be outta there till the middle of the afternoon.”  Prompto laughed softly.  “See you later.”  He gave a small wave to the prince as the taxi drove away.  And that night, he tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep, with Noctis on his mind.

 

_Summer 756_

 

            Masturbation was part of Prompto’s daily routine.  At nineteen (almost twenty), he had no girlfriend, no boyfriend, and no prospects of any kind.  What he did have was a pile of nudie magazines in the bathroom that almost reached the toilet bowl.  He was all about boobs—nothing made him harder than a nice rack.  Stroking himself, he pondered a girl he had seen on his walk home earlier that day.  Noct had ogled her too.  Noct…He wondered if Noct was really interested in her.  Lately, he had been wondering that a lot, and it bothered him when his best friend looked at girls like that.  And it bothered him that it bothered him.  It wasn’t supposed to.  Because they were supposed to be best friends, and best friends weren’t supposed to pine for each other.

            He had first noticed it a year ago: that weird ache in his chest when they parted ways, the way his stomach would do somersaults whenever he called.  He had even thought for a while that Noctis felt the same way, but that just couldn’t have been true, and he managed to convince himself that it was all in his head.  His brain and his heart were confused, and that was just part of growing up.   _That’s what happens when you only have one friend_ , he had thought to himself.

            “Ugh, stop,” he groaned.  He was ruining this for himself, being all weird about Noctis, and more importantly, he was starting to lose his hard-on.  He focused on his dick again, picturing the girl’s breasts, barely contained in that tiny tank top.  But nothing happened.  It didn’t turn him on like it used to.  He wasn’t that surprised, though; for a while, now, his best friend had entered his mind during this ritual, and, though he could scarcely admit it to himself, it was the only thing that helped him get off lately.  Maybe his heart was trying to tell him something that his brain had been trying to hide.  At first, he had tried to tell himself it was wrong; that Noctis was his best friend and nothing more.  But nobody else turned him on this much, and it couldn’t hurt to just close his eyes and let his imagination take over.  Prompto licked his lips; he was getting hot again.  He bit his lip, wishing it was Noctis’s hand and not his own making him feel this high.

            In his mind, they were in bed.  Noctis was kissing his neck, licking that one spot that made him go weak in the knees.  “Noct,” he murmured, rubbing faster.  “That feels so…good.”  He smiled languidly, stretching his feet and curling his toes on the tiled floor.  Though he’d never done it with anyone before, these little musings always ended with Noctis flipping him over and fucking him hard in the ass.  That sent him over the edge as he came, a low moan escaping his lips.  He leaned back, enjoying the tingling sensation in his body.   _That was fast_ , he thought, breathing heavily.

            As usual, he jumped in the shower to clean himself off, pulled on a tank top and some underwear, and headed out to the kitchen.  Sitting at the kitchen table, slurping ramen noodles, he wondered if masturbating to the thought of his best friend was weird.  It wasn’t worth thinking about, he decided, and distracted himself by playing on his phone.  Ramen was the perfect meal after that kind of exertion, but it wasn’t the healthiest dish.  He scolded himself inwardly for making such a poor choice for a meal, promising not to do it again for a while.  Unless Noct happened to call and want to get a burger or something.  He rubbed his eyes and gave his head a shake.  Wow, Noctis was really on his mind today.

            Suddenly his phone vibrated.  When he read the text message from Noctis, he choked on his ramen.   _Let’s bang_.  “What?!”  He read it again and let out a nervous laugh.  “Oh, heh.”   _Let’s hang_.  His face fell a little, but he texted back quickly, asking where they should meet up.  His phone vibrated again, and Prompto answered the call.  “Hey, I just texted you.”

            “Yeah,” came Noctis’s throaty voice.  “Only, I’m right outside, so…”

            Prompto heard a knock at his front door.  His eyes widened.  An excuse, he needed an excuse.  He was sitting around in boxers, his house was a mess—he couldn’t let the prince inside.  Noctis had actually never been inside, come to think of it.  Why was he here now?  “Um, it’s really messy here.”  It wasn’t a lie.  “Plus…uh…I…just took a shower, yeah,” he finished lamely, running his hand through his half-dry hair.  Okay, that one was a lie…kind of.  He had washed the cum off his dick, and the rest of him had gotten a little wet in the process.

            “If you think I’m believing that, we’re not friends anymore,” Noctis said, half-joking.  “C’mon, just let me in.”

            There was another sharp knock at the door and Prompto winced.  “All right.  Just—just give me a minute.”  He hung up and went to his bedroom begrudgingly.  It wasn’t that he didn’t want to spend time with the prince.  He did.  A goofy smile spread over his lips.  He _really_ did.  He pulled on his skinny jeans in a hurry, starting to feel hot.  He needed to stop thinking about Noct that way.  Yeah, he’d checked out guys before, but this wasn’t just some guy.  This was Noct, his best friend, and it was already getting out of hand.

            Another impatient knock at the door.  “I’m coming!” he called, snapping his head up.  He jogged to the door and yanked it open.  “Where’s the fire, Noct?”

            Noctis strode in like he lived there.  He slung his jacket on the back of a chair and kicked off his shoes.  “No fire.  I just needed to disappear for a while.”  Sweat glistened on his forehead, meaning he came here on foot.  Noct had a car, but he never drove it anymore, since he had Ignis to chauffeur him around.

            Prompto crossed his arms, a bemused expression on his face.  “What did you do now?”

            The prince collapsed into the nearest chair.  “It’s what I _didn’t_ do,” he said pointedly.  “I’ve skipped out on Gladio’s training for the past week, and Ignis has been trying to tutor me in math ever since he found out I almost failed my last semester.”  He paused, a pensive look on his face.  “He’s getting kind of irrational about it, actually.  I mean, I’m not even _in_ school anymore.  And what does a prince need math for, anyway?”

            Prompto chuckled.  “Heh, maybe he’s trying to teach you something.  You know the rest of us plebs actually had to pass the classes to get the credit.”

            “Man, not you too,” Noctis whined.  After a minute, he spotted the cup of ramen on the table.  He raised an eyebrow, looking at his friend.  “Cheat day?”

            Prompto grabbed the cup and threw it in the trash.  “I was just relaxing,” he said.   _Not jerking off to the thought of fucking you_.  Noctis’s eyes flicked down and Prompto mirrored him, realizing his belt was undone.  He sighed and pulled it tight, buckling it.  His cheeks flushed, try as he might to not feel embarrassed.

            “What were you doing before I called?” Noctis asked, narrowing his eyes slightly as he walked towards him.  “Were you…sitting around in your underwear, eating Cup Noodles?”  He gaped at the prince and Noctis laughed.  “I saw you through the window, you goof.  You might want to close the blinds next time.”

            Prompto glared at him, but was blushing furiously.  “Shut up, man,” he muttered.

            “Aw, come on, Prompt,” Noctis said, putting a hand on his back.  “It’s just _me_.”  They locked eyes for a little bit too long, and Noctis’s hand lingered on the small of his back for even longer.  Then he broke the connection, looking around.  “I don’t think I’ve ever been here.  Your place is actually pretty nice.”

            “It’s all right,” Prompto said, discreetly closing the bathroom door.

            “Are you gonna give me the tour or what?” Noctis said expectantly.

            “There really isn’t much to see,” Prompto said dismissively.  “Kitchen, living room…that’s pretty much it.”

            “Show me your room.”  Noctis stepped towards him.  “You might have some comics I haven’t read yet.”

            Prompto frowned.  “You still have a bunch of _mine_.”  He thought desperately.  Noct could not, under any circumstances, go into his room.  It was littered with photos—the subjects of which were mostly Noct.  Actually, they were almost exclusively of Noct.  What if he got creeped out by that?  To be honest, it was creepy, even though he hadn’t meant anything by it.  He was just practicing…and you’re supposed to photograph things you like to look at, and, well…Noct was…something he liked to look at.  “Hey, how ‘bout we go to your place?  It’s way nicer.”  He put his arm around Noctis, steering him back towards the front door.  “There are no weirdos looking through windows there either.”

            Noctis dug his feet into the carpet, halting them both.  “Okay, obviously you don’t want me in here.  I don’t know why, but you’re entitled to a few secrets, I guess.”  Prompto exhaled, relieved.

            The moment he relaxed, Noctis dove for the door and opened it up, while Prompto jumped after him, crying desperately, “Stop, don’t go in there—!”  He covered his face, waiting for the prince’s inevitable bad reaction.

            “Whoa,” Noctis said quietly.  Prompto chanced peeking through his fingers and saw his friend looking around the room.  He didn’t look horrified or weirded out or anything.  He kind of looked like he was…in awe, like…impressed or something.  “I didn’t know you were so into photography still.  I mean, you’ve always got that camera with you, but I didn’t know you were this serious.”  He approached the wall, pointing to one of the pictures hanging there.  “Is this…?”

            Prompto cautiously stepped towards him, just close enough to see the photo.  “Graduation,” he said meekly.

            “Huh, I didn’t know you were taking pictures.”  Prompto watched his friend stare at the picture.  It was probably one of the few he had of the king.  And technically, he wasn’t really allowed to do things like that, but his parents hadn’t been able to make it, so he had tagged along with Noctis.  King Regis had attended, but not publicly.  He had watched the ceremony from a private room; Noct had gone to visit him later.

            “I shouldn’t have.  It—it was a private moment between you and His Majesty.”  He averted his eyes.  “I guess I couldn’t resist.  You can have it…if you want.”

            “I hardly ever see my dad anymore,” Noctis said, as though he hadn’t heard a word Prompto said.

            Prompto unpinned the photograph from the wall and handed it to him.  “Keep it.”

            Noctis stared at it for a long while, his brow furrowed, then set it down on the nearby dresser.  “No, I don’t need it.”

            “C’mon, it’s your dad,” Prompto prodded, glancing at the picture.

            Noctis sighed, sitting down on the bed.  “We’re not really seeing eye to eye lately.”  He clenched his fists in his lap.  “Last time I saw him, we argued.  He, uh…found something out that he wasn’t happy about.”  He paused and the creases in his brow deepened.  “He got really upset with me, and then I got upset and said a bunch of things you should never say to your father, king or not.  That’s why I’ve been avoiding the palace and the grounds.”

            Prompto watched him, slowly gravitating closer..  “What did he find out…that made him so angry?” he dared to ask.  The sun had started to set, casting long shadows.

            Noctis glanced up at him.  “Don’t you know?” he said, his voice strained.

            Prompto swallowed, his throat dry.  His heart was racing, but he didn’t know why.  What was he saying?  He didn’t have any idea why the king would be angry with Noct.  Why did Noctis expect him to know?

            Noctis turned away, his cheeks flushed.  “I, uh…I’d better get home.  I probably should study or train…or something.”  He made to leave, but Prompto caught his arm.

            “Wait.”  Noctis stood still, his head bowed.  “Tell me what’s going on.  Maybe I can help.”  He stared at the side of his face, brows knitted together in worry.

            “He…found out about you,” Noctis said, his voice catching in his throat.

            Prompto’s face fell.  “He doesn’t want us to be friends?” he said in disbelief.

            Noctis shook his head, trying to pull his arm free, but Prompto’s grip was too tight around his arm.  “Never mind—I-I clearly misread you.  If you don’t know, I don’t want to say anything.  It will ruin everything.  I’ve probably _already_ ruined everything,” he added, defeated.

            And then he finally understood.  All of those moments he had questioned in the past, those moments that he had convinced himself were all in his head—Noct had been trying to get closer to him, and he had never realized it.  Or maybe he hadn’t wanted to.  But he did now.  Prompto’s hand slid down his arm easily, stopping when he found Noct’s hand.  He was nervous and his heart was still pounding in his chest, but their fingers laced together so naturally that it didn’t matter if his palm was clammy.  With an almost imperceptible tug, he urged Noctis to turn towards him.  They were so close now that he could feel Noctis’s breath on his cheek.  “I get it now, but…I’ve never done this before,” Prompto admitted softly.

            “What?” Noctis said, closing the space between them.

            Prompto exhaled shakily.  “Kissed a boy.”  His gaze flicked from Noctis’s eyes to his lips.

            “Me either,” Noctis breathed just before their lips met.  The kiss was tender, gentle, and nothing like Prompto had ever dreamed.  The prince’s lips were soft and supple as they lingered on his own, opening and closing over his lips in turn.  When they broke apart, they just stared at each other for a moment, letting the reality sink in.  Prompto wondered if Noctis would regret the kiss, and decided he wouldn’t give him the opportunity.  He went in for another blindly, pushing Noctis backwards, right into a small shelf.  The prince lost his balance, but they managed to grab each other’s arms and keep him on his feet.

            “This place is a fucking deathtrap,” Prompto whispered, a smile on his face.  “Told you we should’ve gone to your place.”

            Noctis smiled back.  “No, I like it here,” he said, pushing Prompto's hair out of his face.  His hand stayed there, warm against Prompto's cheek.  “And if I fall again, you can catch me.”

            “Always,” Prompto said, reaching up behind Noctis’s neck and pulling him closer.  He deepened the kiss, and Noctis opened his mouth to let his tongue inside.  Noct responded, closing his hands around Prompto’s hips as they kissed.  It was wet and messy—teeth and tongues getting in the way as they desperately made up for months of lost time.  His hands wandered over Prompto’s body, touching and grabbing indiscriminately, but he got the biggest response when he grabbed his ass, so his fingers lingered there.

            Prompto couldn't believe that less than an hour ago, he was fantasizing about this and now it was actually happening.  How long had Noct felt this way?  How long had he wanted this, but never said anything?  His mind wandered as he backed up to the bed, letting Noctis pin him down and eagerly kiss him.  Noct's tongue felt so good in his mouth, he couldn't help thinking how good it would feel on other parts of his body.  Noctis pulled away, putting his hands on Prompto's chest and pushing himself up.  With shaking fingers, he started to undo Prompto's belt.  He was anxious, and Prompto put his hands on Noctis's wrists to steady him, even to comfort him.

            "I, uh…" Noctis began, trailing off.

            Prompto's hands slid down, resting at Noctis's hips.  "Hey," he said, brushing his thumb against the denim in what he hoped was reassuring, "we don't have to do anything."

            "No, I want to," Noctis said eagerly.  "It's just…"  He stopped, averting his eyes.

            "It's still new," he finished for him, and he couldn't exactly hide the disappointment in his tone.

            Noctis gave a small nod.  "Yeah," he breathed.  Prompto pulled himself up and leaned back against the headboard.  "I didn't come here expecting to do...that."

            Prompto nodded, bending his knees and wrapping his arms around them.  "That was, uh, pretty wild, though," he said carefully, glancing at Noctis, trying to gauge his emotions.  The sun had dipped below the horizon and the room had grown dark.  He reached over and flicked the lamp on.

            The soft yellow light reflected in Noctis's eyes as he stared at him.  "You don't know how long I've wanted that," he admitted softly, his voice pained.  His brows knitted together as he looked intently at nothing in particular.

            "You should've done something sooner," Prompto said.  He felt a twinge of guilt for all those dates he had encouraged Noct to go on.

            A sigh escaped Noctis's lips.  "Timing was never right...I guess."  He swung his legs off the bed, causing Prompto to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

            "You're not leaving, are you?" he asked, preparing himself to stand.

            Noctis glanced at him.  "No reason to stay, right?"

            Prompto frowned, scrambling towards him.  "Don't go."  He grabbed Noctis's wrist and the prince did not pull away.  "And don't say things like that."

            "What do you want me to say, then?" Noctis said, his voice a little strained, a little tired.

            Prompto shrugged.  "I don't know...from what you said earlier, I thought...I thought _I_ was your reason."  He swallowed, settling down on his knees.   _'Cause you're mine._  That was what he wanted to say, but instead, he let his first statement hang in there air, waiting for Noct to respond...but he didn't.  And then he felt stupid and embarrassed, and said he was going to take a shower.  He didn't know if Noctis would still be there when he came out, but it had been so uncomfortable and awkward.  Maybe he didn't care.  No, he did care.

            He closed the bathroom door, cranked the shower to hot, and stripped.  He threw his pants and underwear on the floor; they were dirty and would need to be washed now.  As he scrubbed himself clean, he tried not to think of the consequences of their actions and their subsequent conversation.  He loved it that he could be so open with Noct, but hated it at the same time.  Baring his soul like that only opened himself up to get hurt.  He tried to tell himself that nothing had changed; that was still his best friend in there.  He rubbed his face, pushing back the anxiety as it threatened to overtake him.

            Noctis was still there when he came back, sitting on the bed, worrying his lip.  He stopped in the doorway, keeping all his weight on one foot, awkward in his t-shirt and shorts.  "I thought you'd be gone," he said a little nervously.  Noctis remained silent, staring at nothing in particular.  Prompto knew that look: he was thinking.  “Um, are you gonna stay?” he said at length, his tone cautious.

            “What are we gonna do?” Noctis said dazedly.

            Prompto shrugged his shoulders, hugging his arms to his chest.  “Sleep, I guess...?”

            Noctis shook his head.  “That’s not what I meant.  What are we going to do…about us?”

            “Oh.  Right.”  Prompto chewed the inside of his cheek.  “Maybe this was a fluke,” he suggested lamely.  “Yeah, we just needed to get it out of our systems.”

            “That’s what my dad said,” Noctis said without looking at him.

            “Maybe he’s right,” Prompto said.  It went against everything his heart had been saying for some time, now, but he was young and confused.  Maybe.

            Noctis looked up.  “Is that what you think?”  Prompto was taken aback.  “If that’s what you think, Prompto, you’d better tell me now.”  He sounded angry and Prompto found himself at a loss for words.  Noctis breathed in sharply through his teeth, then exhaled and looked away.  “This can end tonight if that’s what you want.”

            Prompto felt an unexpected anger rise up in his own chest.  Why was it up to him?  “What do _you_ want?” he finally said.

            Noctis looked up at him.  “It’s not up to me.”

            “You’re part of _us_ , Noct.”  Prompto sighed, sitting down next to him and curling his fingers around Noct’s.  “So, what do you want?”

            “I want to be with you,” Noctis said without much hesitation.

            “I want to be with you too.”  Prompto smiled crookedly.  He knew it wasn’t simple.  Noctis was a prince, a public figure, and there were high expectations for him.  But they were young, and there was still time.  Noctis tilted his head against Prompto, slowly exhaling, and Prompto leaned into him.  "So...you staying?"

            "Yeah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my lovely beta reader! You're the best!


	5. I hope my smile can distract you

            "Well, you seem happy," Ignis said, eyeing him through the rearview mirror.

            Noctis glanced up.  "Me?  Happy?  Nah, couldn't be."  He turned back to the window, unable to hide the little smile on his lips.  He _was_ happy, he thought.  It was kind of a weird feeling, though, and he wasn't quite used to it yet. But it was a rush: the excitement, the anticipation, this new side of Prompto that he was getting to experience for the first time.  It was a little scary.  No one knew--it was their secret.  No one could know, at least not yet.  Even Ignis, who he often confided in, couldn't know about this.

            "Are you sure?  You're doing everything shy of whistling a happy tune."  Noctis shrugged.  He turned his attention back to the road as they slowly rolled through the entrance to the parking garage.  He swiped his keycard and waited for the door to open.  "You're acting a bit different is all.  Not your usual moody self."  He paused.  "Especially given this rather cryptic invitation from your father."

            Noctis leaned back, crossing his legs.  "Can't I be in a good mood?"

            Ignis sniffed.  "Well, _one_ can.  I'm not sure if _you're_ able to."

            Noctis smirked.  "Because I'm in such a good mood, I'm gonna let that one slide."

            "I just can't help but wonder what's changed in the last six weeks," Ignis went on.  He was intrigued and it was amusing to let him wonder.  "Have you heard from Lady Lunafreya lately?"

            "Not lately," Noctis replied flatly.  "I think she's been a little preoccupied."  That was an understatement, but he didn't really want to think about what she might be going through right now.  It was true, he hadn't heard from her in a while, and he was a little worried.  He hoped that with the Empire busy at Insomnia’s borders, she was at least safe in Tenebrae.

            "Yes, I suppose you're right."  Ignis swiped his card again to gain entrance into the building.  "We live in troubled times," he said with a heavy sigh.

            "Yeah, well, enjoy the good things while you can," Noctis said in an attempt to drop the subject.  "That's what I always say."

            Ignis raised his eyebrows.  "You _always_ say that, hm?"

            Noctis smirked, crossing his arms.  "Well, I'm saying it now."  Ignis turned away, chuckling softly.

            They rode the elevator up together in relative silence and their footsteps echoed throughout the empty corridors of the citadel.  He left Ignis outside the throne room and went in alone.  The meeting invitation had been a little mysterious.  Noctis normally blew these little talks off, but his father had insisted this time, so he had acquiesced without putting up much of a fight.

            "Sit," his father said when he stepped inside.

            "I'd rather stand," Noctis said.  The room was always so intimidating—dark and foreboding architecture, the looming throne at the top of a cascade of stairs.  The king nodded to someone Noctis hadn't noticed.  So they weren't alone.  One of the king's advisors walked softly over to him and handed him a document, muttering a low, "Prince Noctis" as he did so.

            "What's this?" Noctis asked, ignoring the man almost entirely.

            King Regis's expression remained the same, stoic, as he looked upon his son.  "Just read it."

            "Huh, so we're not even talking anymore, I guess," Noctis said with a twinge of annoyance as he opened the folio.  At first glance, he could see it was official.  Two seals were at the top.  His eyes roved over the document.  It was a peace treaty...with the Empire.  He looked up, gaping at the king.  "Wait...are you _caving_?"  King Regis tried to speak, but Noctis wasn't about to let him.  "This is insane!  We can _fight_ them!   _I_ can fight them, if you'd just _let_ me!"

            "It's already been decided," Regis said wearily.  "Just keep reading.  Please," he added at the challenging look his son was giving him.

            Noctis sighed in exasperation, turning his eyes back to the treaty.  They were giving up everything to the Empire: all the territories outside of Insomnia.  He read the words angrily, clutching the paper, but his breath caught in his throat when he saw his own name.   _Prince Noctis will wed Oracle Lunafreya Nox Fleuret_.  "Marry Luna?" he said to no one in particular.  Then he clenched the document, dropping his arms to his side, and glaring at his father.  "What does marrying Luna help?" he demanded.

            "It's symbolic, bringing the two nations together," Regis said, bringing his fingers to his temple.  "Tenebrae—the Empire and Lucis."

            "This is bullshit," Noctis said, crumpling the treaty and tossing it aside.  He looked at the king, wondering how he could sit there so calmly.  How could he think that signing this treaty was the right thing to do?  "You can't sign this."

            "Noctis, sometimes we have to make sacrifices—" Regis tried, only to be interrupted.

            "Haven't we made enough?" Noctis said, tears pricking at his eyes.  He stared at his father, his mouth agape.  His mother was gone, his father could barely stand these days, and he had next to no relationship with him.  They had given up so much to the Empire—the one thing they had was Insomnia, and now, with his marriage to Luna, that would be theirs too.  Again, his father just sat there, silent, his expression detached.  Noctis shook his head.  "I'm going home.  I can't deal with this right now."

            "You can't run away from this," his father called after him, though his tone conveyed only defeat.

            He surprised Ignis when he burst through the doors, so much so that his advisor nearly dropped his phone.  "Let's go," he grunted, sweeping past him.

            Ignis immediately fell in step beside him, but didn't speak.  The silence continued as they rode down in the elevator and while they walked to the car.  Noctis slammed the door closed as soon as he sat down.  "Seatbelt," was the first thing out of Ignis's mouth.  Not "what happened?" or "what's wrong?"  Noctis strapped himself in, shoving his foot against the seat in front of him, his anger about to boil over.  To his frustration, Ignis remained silent for the entire drive back to his apartment.  Every once in a while, he would flick his eyes back to steal a glance, but Noctis just stared resolutely ahead.

            When they had parked outside the apartment building, he turned around in his seat.  "Are you ready to talk yet?"

            Noctis looked at him, unclenching his jaw, and he felt as if there was nothing but ire in his eyes as he looked at the driver.  "No, I'm not fucking ready," he snapped.  He pulled on the door handle, but it was locked.  He waited a moment for Ignis to unlock it, then yanked again.  "Ignis, unlock the door."

            "Noct," Ignis said.

            "Unlock the fucking door!" he nearly shouted, pounding his fist against the armrest.

            "You're obviously upset," Ignis began calmly.

            "Upset?"  Noctis glared at him.  "Hell, yeah, I'm upset!"  Then something clicked in his brain:  the way Ignis had stayed quiet that whole time, the way he was looking at him right now.  "You know, don't you?" he said, and he didn't try to hide the disappointment in his tone.

            Ignis held up his hand.  "I just found out, just like you."

            "He's giving up!" Noctis exclaimed.  "Just like that!  I _know_ we can beat them."

            Ignis pursed his lips, thinking.  "I agree with you.  In part," he added at Noctis's smug look.  "I think we could stand up to the Empire and possibly even beat them back.  But," he began pointedly, "I don't think signing a treaty is giving up.  Nor is your betrothal to Lady Lunafreya in vain."

            Noctis sighed.  "What's a stupid wedding going to do?"  He ran a hand through his hair, exasperated.

            Ignis pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.  "It will give the people hope of a brighter tomorrow.  What could be more important than that?"

            "I don't know, maybe _actually_ giving the people a brighter tomorrow!" Noctis snapped, throwing his arms up.

            "I think your main concern with this treaty is what you'll be personally giving up," Ignis said, talking over him.  "And before you try to deny it, keep in mind that I do your laundry and nobody, not even me, goes through that many bedsheets in a week.  I have also found a number of...clothing items,” he said delicately, “that don't appear to be yours, and since I never see you with anyone else, I can only assume that you're in a relationship with Prompto."  Noctis's cheeks flushed, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Ignis spoke first.  "I said, don't try to deny it.  Don't mistake me for a fool."

            Noctis swallowed.  "That isn't my main concern," he said quietly.  "This treaty is one-sided—we're not getting anything from it."

            "I'd say safety for our loved ones here and abroad _is_ something."  Noctis sighed, resigned.  The doors clicked as the locks were released.  "Get some rest.  We'll talk in the morning after you've had some time to process the news.  I'll cook you breakfast, just like old times," he added with a weak smile.  Noctis opened the door and started to exit, when Ignis stopped him.  "And I wouldn't suggest telling Prompto just yet—not until you're level-headed enough to discuss it rationally."  He paused, then said gently, "He'll likely not take it well."

            "Right."  The truth was, he hadn't even thought about Prompto until Ignis had brought him up.  If he was going to marry Luna, that meant that whatever he had with Prompto was over.  His chest hurt just thinking about it.  Noctis dragged himself to the elevator.  He was supposed to see Prompto tonight.  What was he going to say?  How was he going to act around him?  Everything about his body language would suggest that something was wrong.  He leaned his head against the wall as he rode up in the elevator, yearning for that elated feeling he had an hour ago.  When he opened his eyes, he could see his reflection in the glass.  His brow was furrowed, and when he tried to move, it seemed to be stuck that way.  He took a deep breath and forced his lips into a smile, the toothiest grin he could muster.  It looked awful, unnatural, so he toned it down.  By the time he reached his floor, he had found one that worked.  Even _he_ believed that smile.

            So that's what he would do, he decided.  He'd have Prompto over, he'd smile and joke and laugh, and he'd convince himself that everything was amazing and wonderful.  He'd convince himself, just for tonight, that he was happy.


	6. Penultimate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful beta reader!
> 
> What are you readers thinking? Is there something you'd like to see more of in these shorts? Suggestions are welcome! I have some plans for the future chapters, but a lot is up in the air still.

            "So, I guess we're going to be camping a lot," Noctis said casually.  "Gladio likes to camp.  I only agreed because he said I'd be able to do some fishing along the way."

            "Fishing?  Camping?" Prompto echoed his words, blinking rapidly, processing the information that Noctis was throwing at him.  "Like, in tents?"

            "Well, _a_ tent," Noctis said, distracted.

            Prompto froze.  “We’re going to be in a tent?”  He swallowed.  “All four of us?”  He started to feel hot.  He and Noctis had been sharing a bed for over a month now.  What if, during the night, Prompto just gravitated towards Noctis?  What if the others found out?  Well, Ignis already knew, he reminded himself.  Although, he _was_ under the impression the relationship had ended.  And it had.  Well, sort of.  He and Noctis had talked about it.  They had weighed the options, the pros and cons, and then they—no, Noct—had decided to stay together.  He had made that choice and Prompto had gone along with it.

            “Yeah,” Noctis said, only half paying attention as he mashed buttons on the gaming controller.  “Is that gonna be a problem?”

            Prompto swallowed again.  His throat felt dry.  Problem?  Hell, yeah, it was going to be a problem!  “Uh, no,” he said instead.  He let Noctis’s character combo his own several times over—not intentionally; he just didn’t have his heart in the game, and he was way too distracted by the nonchalant way that his secret boyfriend had brought up the four of them sharing a tent.  He blinked out of his reverie when the game suddenly paused.

            “Okay, clearly you’re worried,” Noctis said, turning to him.  He set the controller on the floor where they were seated.

            Prompto bit his lip, trying not to freak out.  He usually kept his cool, especially around Noct (and especially of late), but right now, he just couldn’t deal with this.  “Of course I’m worried!  Aren’t you?”  He searched Noctis’s face, but found no trace of emotion other than slight bemusement.  “Well, you _should_ be!  What if Ignis and Gladio find out about us?  Not to mention there’s this whole thing about you marrying Lady Lunafreya.”  Noctis flinched, but it was barely noticeable.  That part always hurt when he said it aloud, so he tried not to.

            A sigh escaped Noctis’s lips and Prompto regretted bringing up Luna.  “We talked about this last week, when I found out.”  Prompto didn’t recall a lot of talking, but he vividly remembered the thirty-five minutes of awkward silence that had followed the announcement of the marriage and the impending road trip.

            “Remind me,” Prompto pressed, “’cause I don’t remember much discussion.”

            “We’re gonna have to play it by ear,” Noctis said.  He picked up the controller again and unpaused the game, then proceeded to beat the shit out of Prompto’s character.  He clearly didn’t want to talk, and Prompto didn’t want to force him, but…

            He paused the game with his own controller and Noctis whipped his head around, frowning.  “Noct, in two days, we’re all piling into a car to board a boat to take you to your wedding.  We know what’s going to happen.”

            “Would you stop saying that?” Noctis snapped.

            Prompto frowned, a little taken aback by Noct’s shift from apathy to anger.  “What?”

            Noctis clenched his fists.  “Did it ever occur to you that I might be a little bit upset about this too?  It’s _my_ life that’s become a bargaining chip in this stupid war, not yours.”  His body was rigid and Prompto didn’t know what to say, so he just remained silent.  Noctis glanced at him sidelong, but only for a moment.  “You get to have your life.  You can be whoever you want to be, knowing that no one controls you but you.  So…just be grateful for that,” he finished, staring darkly ahead.

            “Grateful?” Prompto choked and Noctis looked up at him, prepared to argue back.  “For _what_?  What’s my life worth if you’re not in it?”

            “Stop,” Noctis said, his knuckles white.

            “No,” Prompto said, clenching his own fist.  “I’ve kept quiet since you dropped this bomb, because I didn’t want you to feel any worse.  But this sucks—this fucking sucks.  It’s shit that you have to marry someone you haven’t seen since you were eight, and it’s shit that you don’t have a choice.  And I know this is selfish, but I don’t want to give you up.  I’m not ready.”  When he finished, he was breathing heavily.  He hadn’t realized that revealing everything bottled up inside him for the past week would be so tiring.

            Noctis was still for a long time, and Prompto began to wonder if he was going to explode out of sheer anger.  Instead, in one rapid movement, he flung his arms around Prompto and buried his face in his shoulder.  Prompto was so shocked that he didn’t return the favor for a moment.  When he finally held him in his arms, he felt Noctis trembling.  He was…crying.  “I don’t…want to give you up either,” he said finally, his voice quivering.

            “So, what are we gonna do?” Prompto said, his own voice cracking.

            “I don’t know,” Noctis murmured, pulling away, but only slightly; Prompto was still holding him tightly.  Noctis wiped his tears away on the back of his hand.  “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”  Prompto looked up at him, blinking.  “If I’m supposed to be this chosen one, this—this savior of humanity…if that’s my destiny, then why did we meet?”  He met Prompto’s gaze finally, his eyes glassy.  He took a shaky breath in, but didn’t break eye contact.

            “Maybe…” Prompto began pensively, “maybe…you were meant to save me too.”  He wasn’t sure what to say next, so he didn’t speak.  Instead, he leaned forward and kissed Noctis, capturing his upper lip, slowly and tenderly.  Even though it went against his better judgment, he went in for another, placing his hands on Noctis’s face and neck, running his fingers through his black hair.

            “We shouldn’t do this anymore,” Noctis murmured, touching his face.  He curled his other arm around Prompto’s waist, gripping his shirt.  “It’s just going to make things harder.”  He nuzzled his neck, brushing his lips against Prompto’s skin.

            “I don’t care,” Prompto breathed as Noctis eased him back onto the floor, eagerly pressing their lips together.  The slow, gentle rhythm became more and more feverish.  The shirts came off fairly quickly, and were closely followed by their pants and underwear.  Everything was going faster this time, because they both knew they didn’t have much time left.  One more day, one more night, and it would be over.  So when Prompto ended up on his hands and knees with Noctis inside him, he didn’t mind the pain.  This was the closest they would ever be able to get and he desperately wanted that, more than he had ever wanted anything.

            “You think this was a mistake?” Noctis asked after it was over, and their bodies, glistening with sweat, lay tangled on the floor.

            “Probably,” Prompto answered honestly.  He turned his head to look at Noctis.  “But it was worth it.”  Noctis smiled warmly back at him.  “We should probably get some sleep,” he said, glancing at the clock.  “I’ve got that self-defense training in the morning.”  He started to sit up.

            “Hey, Prompto?” Noctis said quietly.

            “Yeah?”

            Noctis had a calm look on his face and he didn’t speak for a moment.  He just stared at him, and Prompto began to wonder if everything was all right.  He swallowed.  “Um, I love you.”

            Prompto’s eyes widened for a second, before he blushed and laughed it off.  “You don’t mean that,” he said, averting his eyes.

            Noctis frowned.  “Yes, I do,” he insisted.

            “C’mon, no you don’t,” Prompto said, shaking his head.  He couldn’t even look Noctis in the eye.  And it made it even worse that he was completely naked.

            “Of course I do!”  Noctis was grinning, but he did sound a little hurt.

            Prompto blinked, his lips parted in surprise.  “Really?”  Noctis nodded, running a comforting hand over Prompto’s arm.  Noct was so brave, putting himself out there, risking everything for those three little words.  And even though Noct had said it first, he was still afraid to say it back.  He chewed his lip as Noctis gently stroked his arm.  “I…I love you too.”

            “I know,” Noctis said with a smile.  He glanced at the clock.  “It’s late.  We’d better go to bed.”

            A few minutes later they were snuggled together under the blankets.  Prompto rested his head on Noctis’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.  Noctis fell asleep quickly, like he always did.  It took Prompto a while longer, but the sound of Noct’s breathing in and out gave him some comfort and finally lulled him to sleep.  He woke up at the crack of dawn to the sound of his alarm going off.  Grabbing his cell phone, he hurriedly silenced the alarm.  Six o’clock.  He rolled back over to face Noctis, who was still fast asleep.  “Noct,” he whispered, playing with his hair.  “Time to get up.”

            Noctis groaned.  “Five more minutes,” he murmured without opening his eyes.

            “Training starts at eight,” Prompto said.  “And you’re my ride.”

            “Two more minutes,” Noctis said, wrapping his arms around him.  “You stay too,” he said sleepily.

            Prompto smiled even wider when Noctis opened his eyes.  “I’m gonna miss this.”  He swallowed.  _Keep it together_.

            Noctis cocked his head so he could look at him right-side up.  He tucked Prompto’s bangs behind his ear.  “I love you.”  _Please keep it together_.

            Prompto sighed heavily, even a little shakily.  “You’re still on that, huh?” he smirked.

            “I like saying it,” Noctis said with a tired smile.  “It makes me feel better…about everything.”

            Prompto inhaled, his breath catching in his throat.  “Sorry, it’s just whenever you say that…it just reminds me that it’s over.”  He shook his head slowly.

            “Let’s just not think about that today,” Noctis said, turning onto his side.  Prompto stared at him, amazed at how calm he was.  “And I’m not through with you yet.”  He grinned, pulling him to his chest.  He kissed Prompto’s cheek.

            “I wish things were different,” Prompto said weakly, after a moment.  He ran his hand through his hair, exhaling.  “But…I need to get ready,” he said resignedly.  Noctis eventually released him.

            As soon as the hot water hit him, he let go of everything and cried.  He tried to be quiet as the sobs wracked through his body, but the pounding in his ears was so loud, he didn’t know how successful he was being.  Noct didn’t need to know about this—he needed to stay strong for him, though admittedly, he wasn’t doing a very good job of that.

            “Dammit,” he muttered when he emerged from the shower.  His eyes were red and puffy, and tears were still leaking out of them.  He stared at his reflection in the mirror.  Bright blue eyes, freckles, and a deep frown.  That frown needed to go away.  In twenty-four hours, he needed to be someone else.  Or maybe…someone he used to be.  Someone who was happy.  He wiped away fresh tears, annoyed with himself.  He couldn’t do it.  Not yet.

            “Are you okay in there?” came Noct’s voice from the other side of the door.

            Prompto squeezed his eyes shut.  “Yeah!” he called after a moment.  “I’ll be out in a minute!”  He started to dress, lost in thought.  First it was self-defense training, then he would get fitted for his Crownsguard uniform.  By then, it would be nearly evening, and they had all planned on cleaning out Noctis’s apartment for his move back into the citadel.  The day would be so busy, there would be no time to spend together, just the two of them.  His chest ached.  Was this really happening?  Just when he had found a little happiness, a little normalcy…

            By the time he had dressed, his tears had dried.  His face was still a little red, but he would just blame that on the hot water.  Noct didn’t seem to notice, or at least he didn’t ask.  His mood had changed too.  The warm morning smiles were gone, replaced by frowns and blank stares.  He suggested they get breakfast.  There was still time before Prompto needed to be at the citadel for training.  Prompto didn’t feel much like eating, and was fairly certain if he _did_ eat, he would probably be sick; but he agreed all the same, and they prepared to leave.

            “Ready?” Noctis said, one hand on the doorknob.

            Prompto didn’t think he’d ever be ready, with everything that that simple question implied.  Ready to eat breakfast?  Ready to leave Noct’s apartment for one of the last times?  Ready to say goodbye to his lover, but more importantly, his best friend?  No, he wasn’t ready, but he nodded.  He couldn’t speak yet.  He was afraid if he tried, he would just cry again.

            “All right, let’s go.”


	7. Hammerhead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I really have no good excuse, other than I just struggled writing it. It's a turning point in the Tales, so get ready: there's going to be a lot of angst from here on out. Thank you for continuing to read! I do this for myself, primarily, but you readers spur me on.
> 
> A huge thank you to my beta reader--I could not do this without you! You are amazing and wonderful, and I honestly I could never express in words how grateful I am for your help and support! <3

            So this was Hammerhead.  He'd heard a lot about it recently.  But for a place this close to Insomnia, it sure was a dive.  Noctis looked up at the faded sign above the gas station.  The wind and sand had stripped the paint away from just about everything, leaving the small outpost looking run down.  He would have thought it had been abandoned if it hadn’t been for all the people milling about.  Cindy was something else, though.  He had expected some grease monkey mechanic with a beer gut and pants that wouldn't stay up.  Instead he found himself face to face with a….

            "She's a goddess," Prompto breathed.  Noctis glanced at him, surprised.  Prompto was slack-jawed, ogling her breasts, which were on display for all to see.  He wondered irritably how she worked on cars with all that exposed skin.  "Do you think she'd go out with me?" Prompto said dazedly.  Noctis furrowed his brow.  Why was he asking that?  Was this…was this some kind of ruse…to fool the others?

            "I doubt it," Gladio grunted.  "Maybe if you said you were the prince."

            "I don't think she'd fall for that," Prompto said, still gaping.  "She's probably beautiful _and_ smart."  Noctis stared at him.  Prompto had a faraway look in his eyes, gazing heavenward with his hand on his chest.  What was he doing?

            "Smarter than you, at least," Gladio remarked with a smirk.

            Noctis had just about had enough.  "Just have her fix the car, all right?" he snapped, stomping off.  It was bad enough that the Regalia had broken down minutes from Insomnia, but now this?  What was Prompto doing?  The other night, they had said they loved each other, and now...it was as if he didn't care anymore.  Noctis wondered if the months they had spent together hadn’t really meant anything to Prompto at all.  Maybe to him it was just…a means to an end.  Maybe he didn’t really love Noctis.  Noctis had always been the first to say it, and each time, Prompto had been hesitant to say it back.  If he did love Noctis, why would he be looking at Cindy that way?  He strode across the lot and went behind the caravan, sighing heavily as he leaned back against it.  Had he been so blinded by his own affection that he couldn’t see that Prompto didn’t feel the same way?  Was he that careless?  They had agreed to keep things as they were and to keep their relationship a secret from the others.  Well, that wasn’t entirely true.  They had agreed to figure it out later.  Hadn’t they?  He tried to think back to that conversation, when he told Prompto about the treaty.

_“You’re getting…married?” Prompto repeated.  He hadn’t been able to speak for the longest time, but he finally found his voice, shaky as it might be._

_“It’s part of the treaty,” Noctis said gloomily.  “I don’t want to.  I want to stay here and fight the Empire.  But it’s already been decided for me.  I leave for Altissia soon with a team of bodyguards.”  He shook his head.  “I don’t know what to do.”_

_“We could end it,” Prompto said shakily.  He sat forward on the couch, hunched over his legs, his hands clasped.  “I don’t want to, but maybe…maybe it’s best if we just don’t see each other anymore.”_

_“No,” Noctis said without hesitation.  He dug his fingers into the couch cushion._

_“Don’t I get a say in this?” Prompto said, too nervous to even look at him._

_Noctis turned to him, rigid.  “Uh, yeah…of course you do."  He eyed him worriedly.  "What do_ you _think we should do?"_

_Prompto thought a moment.  He opened his mouth several times to speak, but nothing came out.  "You're right," he said resignedly.  "We can figure it out later."_

 

            Noctis’s breath caught in his throat as he replayed their conversation in his head.  Prompto had suggested they break up.  Prompto had wanted to end it.  And Noctis had refused.  And…clearly there had been more Prompto wanted to say, but maybe he was afraid to say it.  Maybe…maybe Prompto just didn’t want to hurt his feelings.  Noctis put his face in his hands; he was confused, hurt, frustrated.  How could he have been so wrong?

            "Hey, there you are," Prompto said brightly, bouncing around the corner.  Noctis blushed, crossing his arms and looking the other way.  "What's going on?”  He peered at him, eyebrows knit together with worry.  “Are you okay?"

            “What are you doing?” Noctis said.  He didn’t understand.  The way Prompto was looking at him now…it was like nothing had happened—like he hadn’t been drooling over Cindy mere seconds ago.

            "Huh?  What?"  Prompto looked confused.

            Noctis glanced around, making sure Gladio and Ignis weren’t around.  "Uh, Cindy?"  Prompto shrugged.  "You're slobbering all over her.  I'm starting to feel a little jealous here."

            Prompto tugged on his collar, an impish grin on his face.  “Y’know, you’re cute when you pout.”

            Noctis swatted his hand away.  “Stop it.”  He frowned.  “If you wanted to end things this badly, you should never have agreed to come along.”

            “Noct, what’s the matter with—?” Prompto said, taking a step back.

            Noctis continued as though Prompto hadn’t spoken.  “Did you think _this_ would be somehow better than just being honest with me?  Like you were sparing my feelings or something?”  He let out an exasperated sigh.

            “Noct,” Prompto said.

            Noctis clenched his fists.  “This isn’t what we agreed.”

            Prompto crossed his arms.  “We didn’t agree about anything.”  He looked a little annoyed.  “Every time we talk about this, you just push it off until later.  What are you gonna do, tell Luna you’re in love with another dude when you’re standing with her at the altar?”  He tried to meet his gaze, but Noctis looked away.  “I’m figuring things out for myself.  And yeah, maybe I’m trying to have a little fun.”  Noctis gaped at him.  Fun?  Prompto frowned, now struggling to maintain eye contact.  “I’m trying to distract myself from this…mess.”

            Noctis shook his head, sighing in frustration.  “You’re right,” he conceded, though his tone was anything but conciliatory.  “This is a mess.  We should have ended things, like you wanted.  And you shouldn’t be here.  It’s only going to make things harder for the both of us,” he muttered.  “So do whatever you need to do.”  He started to walk away, looking anywhere but at his boyfriend, though he wasn’t sure he should think of him like that anymore.  He wasn’t even sure if they were friends, let alone best friends.

            Prompto dropped his arms, disbelief on his face.  “Noct.  Noct, c’mon.”  He reached for him, grabbing a hold of his sleeve.  “Can’t we talk about this when you’ve calmed down a little?”

            Noctis ripped his arm away.  He was about to lose control.  He knew it, but he couldn’t stop himself.  The wedding, Luna, Prompto, Cindy.  His entire world was crumbling before his eyes, and the one thing that had been a constant in his life, Prompto, was slipping away too.  “No.  What’s there to talk about?  You’re making it pretty clear how you feel.  So go right ahead.  Have your fun.  I know you’re into that kind of thing.  You can fuck Cindy all night long.  See if I care.”

            “Noct!”  Prompto ran after him as he stormed off.  “Noct, c’mon don’t be like that—!”

            They both stopped abruptly, having nearly run straight into Ignis.  The advisor crossed his arms, eyeing them both suspiciously.  “What are you two doing back here?”

            “Checking out the caravan,” they both said together.

            Ignis shook his head.  “Need I remind you that you’re on your way to marry Lady Lunafreya?” he said, frowning.  When Noctis only glared back, he rounded on Prompto.  “Do I need to remind _you_?”

            “Uh,” Prompto stammered, “I think I should stay outta this.”

            “You told me this was over,” Ignis said in hushed tones.  “You can’t be sneaking around like this—”

            “We aren’t _sneaking around_ ,” Noctis snapped.

            “You were behind the caravan doing God knows what, and then you both lied to me.  I’d call that sneaking around,” Ignis said, looking between the two of them.  He sighed.  “Noctis, you have a job to do.  I know it’s not what you want, but it’s your duty.  I understand how you two feel about each other,” he said as Prompto squirmed, uncomfortable, “but you’ll only end up hurting each other more.”  He sounded concerned, but Noctis didn’t care.

            “You’re not my mother, Ignis.  And besides, it doesn’t matter anymore.” Noctis said, throwing his arms up.  “Prompto was just on his way to proposition Cindy for sex, so you don’t need to _worry_ about me keeping my word to Luna.”  Ignis gaped at him, at a loss for words.  Without hesitation, he pushed past him and stormed off, but not before glancing at Prompto.  He tried not to notice how hurt he looked.

            “I _wasn’t_!” he heard Prompto say, trying to explain away Noctis’s remarks.  “He’s just upset.”

            Upset seemed like the wrong word.  Noctis kicked a rock into the desert as he leaned against the restaurant.  Irrational was probably better.  Out of control was even more accurate.  “Dammit,” he muttered.  Why couldn’t he have just kept his mouth shut?  Why?  Because Prompto hurt him.  What the hell was he thinking, looking at her like that?  Talking about her as if Noctis didn’t exist—as if everything they had done in the past few months meant nothing!  He hurled another rock over the fence, watching a group of animals scurry away.

            “Fuck,” he murmured as he started to cool down.  Prompto was right.  He should have a chance to explain himself, and there was certainly no reasoning with Noctis when he was riled up.  He ran his hand through his hair, sighing.  How was he going to make this better?  Would Prompto even forgive him?  Should he?  Probably not.  Noctis wasn’t sure he could forgive himself for something like that.  He scanned the horizon, squinting as the wind blew, kicking up dust and dirt.  After a while, he sat down and shut his eyes.  Their first day, and already the car had broken down, he had disappointed Ignis, and he had argued with Prompto.  The journey wasn’t off to a very good start.

_“You should come with me,” Noctis said casually._

_Prompto gaped at him, then he smiled, leaning back.  “As what?  Your_ bodyguard _?”  He laughed.  “You’ve lost it, haven’t you?”_

_“I have not!” Noctis said, swatting him playfully.  “I want you there.”  He ran his hand over Prompto’s thigh.  “Besides, there are other things a bodyguard can do besides protect me.”_

_Prompto flinched.  “You don’t have to make it into something dirty!” he said, his tone scandalized and teasing._

_“I was talking about_ emotional support _,” Noctis said, raising an eyebrow.  “What were_ you _talking about?”_

_“Right,” Prompto said, laughing softly.  His cheeks were a little flushed and Noctis moved closer, brushing his blond hair aside and wrapping his arms around his middle._

_“C’mon, be my bodyguard.”  Noctis nuzzled his neck, kissing him.  “You’ll be by my side the whole way.”  He kissed his ear and Prompto smiled, ticklish.  “_ And _you’ll get an official Crownsguard uniform.”_

_Prompto perked up.  “Do I get to learn how to fight?”  Noctis nodded, capturing his lips.  He deepened the kiss and felt Prompto smile as Noctis pushed him onto his back.  “Can I have any weapon that I want?”_

_“Anything you want,” Noctis said, a little out of breath.  “Does that mean you’re coming with?”  He looked down at him hopefully.  Prompto bit his lip, like he usually did when he was thinking.  After a moment, though, he stopped, looked Noctis in the eye, and gave a small nod.  “Really?”_

_Prompto smiled shyly.  “If you’re going, then I wanna go too.  I want to be with you…even if it’s only for a little while.”  Noctis didn’t waste any time in showing him how grateful he was.  “Noct, hey—Noct!  That tickles!” Prompto said through a fit of giggles, but he was quickly silenced with another kiss._

 

            “There you are.”  Noctis looked up.  Gladio.  “I’ve been looking for you for the last half hour.  C’mon, we’ve got work to do.”

            “What kind of work?” Noctis grunted.

            “The hunting kind.”  Gladio pulled him up by his jacket.  He was a little confused, but he followed anyway.  The others were waiting for Gladio to return with him.  Noctis expected Prompto to be withdrawn and upset, but instead he looked normal, like nothing had happened.  While they walked, he talked with everyone.  It was weird.   _He_ was weird.  Why was Prompto being so weird?

            "We're going to scout ahead," Ignis said as he and Gladio walked by.  Ignis cast a knowing look at Noctis.  "Shout if you get into any trouble."

            "Wait—!  Okay," Noctis said, letting out a sigh, watching Ignis and Gladio jog ahead.  He didn't want to be left alone with Prompto.  This was so...awkward, he realized, a pained expression on his face.  Prompto seemed unfazed, staring directly ahead.  But he wasn't saying anything either.  The tension was palpable.  Noctis knew he should apologize—he _wanted_ to, but...for some reason his throat had gone all dry and he couldn't speak.  Several minutes passed and it only became more awkward.  He quickly glanced over at Prompto and found that he was also looking at Noctis.  They both slowly stopped walking, each poised to speak.

            "I'm sorry!" Noctis blurted out, while Prompto exclaimed, "I'm not into her!" at the same time.

            Noctis blinked, taken aback.  "You're not?"

            "No!" Prompto said, dragging his hands through his hair.  "I was just...being stupid, and I thought...I thought that it'd be easier for you to let me go if I acted interested in someone else."  He hung his head.  "It's so stupid, I know," he said, defeated.

            Noctis couldn't believe what he was hearing.  If this was true, then...he'd gotten worked up for...nothing.  Prompto still cared about him.  "I'm the one that's stupid.  I never should have said those things to you.  I'm really, _really_ sorry."  He took a step, closing the gap between them.  "I was jealous and...hurt and confused, and...you were right about everything."  Prompto's eyes flicked up.  "We should have talked about us, but I was just putting it off because...I couldn't face it.  But there's no getting around it.  I _am_ gonna marry Luna and the truth is, when that happens...there won't _be_ an us anymore."  He took a deep breath and exhaled shakily.  "I shouldn't have yelled at you.  It's myself that I'm really angry with."  He shook his head slowly as he said, "I never meant any of those things I said to you."

            “Okay.”  Noctis wasn’t sure if he didn’t believe him or if he was just preoccupied.  Prompto frowned, averting his eyes.  "I'm really not into Cindy, not at all."

            "I know," Noctis said, wrapping his arms around him.  He buried his face in Prompto's shoulder.  "Please forgive me."

            Prompto nodded into his shoulder, his fingers gripping Noctis's jacket.  "Of course I do."  He paused.  "And...I never meant to hurt you."

            Noctis smiled, pulling his head back, his hair brushing against Prompto's forehead.  "C'mon, I'm tougher than that.  Now, if Cindy looks at _you_ like that, I'll have to fight her."

            "No need for that," Prompto said, laughing softly.  "I'd march right up to her and tell her that I'm taken."

            "Damn right," Noctis said.  He glanced at Ignis and Gladio, who were stopped ahead, out of earshot.  They were fixated on something further away—maybe they had located the hunt.  "We should catch up to them."

            Prompto smiled crookedly.  "Oh, yeah," he said slowly, "you owe Ignis an apology."  They started walking.

            "Huh, why?  Because of the mother comment?" Noctis scoffed.

            Prompto shrugged.  "Well, that, and...when you shoved him, his glasses fell and got scratched."

            Noctis smirked.  "Damn, he's probably pretty pissed, huh?"

            Prompto slung his arm over his shoulders.  "C'mon, Ignis doesn't get _pissed_ ; he's too proper for that."  Noctis chuckled.  "I think the word he used was... _disappointed_."  They both burst out laughing.

            "I missed this," Noctis said once he had caught his breath.

            Prompto smiled, blushing slightly.  "It was barely an hour, Noct."

            "An hour too long," Noctis said and Prompto blushed even harder.  "I don't want to argue with you ever again."

            Prompto pulled his arm away, putting his hands in his pockets.  "Fair enough."  He smiled.  "Let's just have fun, Noct."  Noctis turned to him, raising an eyebrow.  "I mean, you're with your three best friends in the whole world on the trip of a lifetime."

            Noctis smiled and took Prompto's hand, their fingers easily lacing together.  "I'm just glad I'm with you."  He knew this was only a passing moment, that this would be the first of many bumps in the road.  The journey would be long and hard and, if things went according to plan, he and Prompto would eventually part ways.  But for right now, he was just enjoying being close to him.  Even if they couldn’t be open in front of the others; they couldn’t hold hands, hug, or kiss.  But none of that mattered as long as they could be near each other.


	8. Into the Fray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to my beta reader for always making time to read my writing, even when it's just thoughts scribbled in a Google doc. <3

            "Shit!" Prompto said, stopping in his tracks.  The huge animal was maybe twenty yards away, but the ground rumbled with its every step.  He gaped at the others.  "We're gonna _fight_ that?!"  Noctis swallowed, sharing Prompto’s trepidation.

            “We’re gonna bring it down!” Gladio said, his voice exuding confidence.

            Prompto clutched his pistol.  "Do you know how much training I've had on this thing?"  The others glanced at him.  "Like an hour!  An _hour_!"

            "Quit bitching and moaning," Gladio snarled.  "We're gonna fight it, and we're gonna bring it down."

            "We need the money," Ignis jumped in, pulling out his daggers.

            "Because if we don't," Gladio continued, "we won't have enough money to eat.  And if that happens, I'm going to send _you_ out here on your own."  Prompto looked at him, terrified.  "So, are we killing this thing or not?"  He turned to Noctis, who set his jaw and nodded.

            "Let's go."  The fight was a struggle for all of them and was hard won.  They weren't in sync with each other, they weren't fighting as one.  But that would come in time.  Noctis tried to keep an eye on Prompto, who, despite having a ranged weapon, constantly found himself right in the thick of the fight.  Gladio landed the final blow and they watched the animal slump over, dead.

            Prompto tried to catch his breath as he lay in the dirt, propped up on his elbows.  He had been recovering from a fall when they had defeated the beast.  Noctis approached him and offered him his hand.  Prompto accepted it a little reluctantly, and Noctis hauled him onto his feet.  "You okay?" he asked a little breathlessly, dusting off his shoulder.

            "I think so," Prompto said with a nod.  He seemed rattled.  Noctis wasn't surprised—he was the least prepared out of all of them.  He wasn't a fighter or a scholar—he was…just a friend.  Well, not _just_ a friend; he was more than a friend.  A lot more.  And Noctis was having trouble letting go of his hands.

            "Let's go," Gladio said, clapping Noctis on his shoulder, startling him enough to drop Prompto's hands.  "We did what we came to do, now let's collect our bounty."

            “Right.”  He started walking, then turned back.  “Prompto, let’s go.”  Prompto blinked and jogged a little to catch up.  This was their first major fight, the first of many—Noctis was certain of that.  And they were only going to get tougher.  Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to bring Prompto along.  He _had_ been hesitant to agree, but it hadn’t taken much convincing for him to be on board with the idea.  It was a road trip, a chance for them to spend more time together, one last chance to feel young and unburdened by the hardships life had yet to throw their way.

            Prompto was unusually quiet the whole walk back.  It wasn’t like him and Noctis was a little worried.  He couldn’t risk talking to him, not like this—not out in the open.  He bit his lip.  It would have to wait until later.  Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any more animals.  By the time they had collected their bounty, it was getting dark.  Another night on the road couldn’t hurt.  They would get to Galdin Quay in time.  Noctis hadn’t given it much thought, really, how long it would take them to get there.  It wasn’t far.  And they had planned for a few nights on the road.  He wanted to stick to the plan.  He didn’t want to get to Altissia any earlier.

            “Have you seen Prompto?” he asked Ignis, who was cleaning up after their meal.  Ignis shrugged and Noctis nodded, trying not to look too worried.  He wandered through the parking lot, lit by bright lights to ward off daemons.  “I hope you didn’t wander off,” he muttered.  Noctis was about to turn back around when something caught his eye, the glint of metal in the light.  He heaved a sigh of relief and approached Prompto, who was leaning against the fence.  “What are you doing over here?” he said cheerfully.

            “Huh?”  Prompto turned, gave a small smile, and then turned back around.  “I was just thinking.”

            “Uh oh.”  Noctis grasped the chain link fence with one hand.  “About what?”

            “It’s nothing,” Prompto replied quickly, shaking his head.  He was trying to brush it off; he always did that.

            “Nope,” Noctis said.  “That’s not gonna work.  Not this time.”  He moved to the other side so he could see Prompto’s face.  “Tell me.”

            Prompto sighed, leaning his shoulder against the fence.  “It’s just…what if I’m not…cut out for this?”  He paused, while Noctis just smiled at him.  “You saw me today—I was useless out there.”  He turned away.  “You’ve all had a lifetime of training—I’ve just had a few hours.”

            “You’re doing fine,” Noctis insisted.  “You’re going to get better.”

            “I’m going to get someone killed,” Prompto muttered ruefully.

            “You’ll get better,” Noctis said again, rubbing his back.  “It was only the first fight.  Pretty soon you’ll be giving _me_ pointers.”

            “Yeah, right,” Prompto smirked, looking away.

            “Hey,” Noctis said, and Prompto turned back.  He suddenly kissed him.  “You’re gonna be just fine.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”

            “I thought I was supposed to protect _you_ ,” Prompto said, placing his hands on Noctis’s hips.  As they kissed, Noctis was grateful for the late hour and the darkness.  Ignis was probably already passed out in one of the chairs and the last time he saw Gladio, he was reading.  Nobody saw them slip quietly into the caravan, where they fell asleep in each other’s arms, exhausted from the hunt.

            “Noct.  Noct.  Wake up.”  Noctis stirred, but didn’t open his eyes.  Not yet.  It was too early.  “C’mon, Ignis and Gladio are already up.  I think they’re getting ready to make breakfast.  That means they’re gonna be in here, banging pots and pans.  You’re gonna have to get up anyway…”

            Noctis opened one eye, staring blearily at Prompto, who was still lying beside him.  “It’s early,” he murmured.

            Prompto smiled crookedly at him.  “We had this whole caravan to ourselves last night,” he said, smirking.  “We could’ve done anything.”  He brushed Noctis’s hair out of his face.

            “Too tired,” Noctis groaned.  He was surprised when he felt Prompto’s lips on his own, and then his teeth gently pulling at his lip.  “Ah,” he said, jerking his head, causing the blond to bite down harder than he had intended.

            “Sorry!” Prompto said, recoiling.

            “It’s fine,” Noctis said, more awake now.  “You just surprised me.”  He rubbed Prompto’s arm in an attempt to be comforting, then pulled him in closer, kissing him.  Prompto crawled on top of him, leaning into the kiss.

            The quiet murmurs outside had been growing steadily louder.  Prompto’s eyes widened, and he suddenly broke away and leapt over Noctis, landing softly on the floor and scrambling to the cot on the opposite side.  As the door opened wide and Ignis climbed in, Prompto crossed his legs, leaning back in a fairly convincing nonchalant pose.  “Oh, hey, Iggy.”

            “Noct, are you two up yet?  It’s after seven.  The Regalia is repaired and we need to get on the road.”  Ignis strode into the caravan, stopping when he was right above the prince.  Noctis blinked, gazing up at him, and Ignis cocked his head.  He tapped his lip with a gloved finger.  “What’s that from?”

            Noctis squinted.  “Huh?”  He licked his lip, tasting blood.  His eyes flicked to Prompto, who was worrying his own lip, staring at the floor.  Noctis quickly flopped over onto his other side.  “I don’t know.  Probably from the fight yesterday.  Quit bothering me.”  He focused on the fake wood paneling on the wall, sucking on his lip.

            “I’m making breakfast,” Ignis announced.

            “Uh, let me help!” Prompto said, jumping up.  Ignis grunted his approval and Noctis threw the blanket over his head.  Seven o’clock was too early to get up.  Before yesterday, Noctis hadn’t seen seven AM for years.  Even when he was in school, he struggled to get up, but somehow managed to slide into his chair just before the bell rang each morning.  He shut his eyes and dozed off for a few more minutes, until the clattering of pots and pans on the stove woke him.  He groaned, throwing the blanket off, and slowly got dressed.  His clothes still smelled like dirt and sweat from the day before, and he wondered if they’d get to wash them soon.

            “Nice hair,” Gladio teased when he sat down across from him, a plate of bacon and eggs in his hand.  It was too early for a witty comeback about Gladio’s hairstyle, so he just glared at him.  “And no peppers?”

            Noctis frowned, stuffing a forkful of eggs into his mouth.  “I think that qualifies as a vegetable, and you know how I feel about them.”

            “When are you gonna grow up, anyway?” Gladio said, his tone laced with annoyance.

            “Uh, how ‘bout never?” Noctis snapped.

            “Whoa, are you two at it already?” Prompto said, plopping down in between them.  Noctis focused on his food, ignoring Gladio’s frustrated sigh.  Prompto swallowed, then said, “Ignis says we’re finally headed to Galdin Quay today.  If Noct is ready, that is,” he added quickly.

            “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Noctis said flatly, catching Prompto’s eye before the latter focused his attention to his breakfast.  He wasn’t quite ready to leave Hammerhead, though.  He could have sworn they had at least another night on the road before they reached Galdin.  “I’ve been thinking, though.  Prompto’s worried about not being prepared.  Maybe I could help him.”

            “That’s not a bad idea,” Ignis said thoughtfully, setting his plate down in his lap.  “You _did_ say you hadn’t had much training.”

            Prompto squirmed.  “I guess, but…what if something happens?”

            “You’ll be with me,” Noctis said confidently.  “I’ll be able to protect us both.”

            “Just stay away from the larger animals,” Ignis cautioned, fixing his glasses.

            “Then it’s settled,” Noctis said, standing up.  “By the end of the day, you’re gonna be the best gunslinger in Leide.”  He grinned at Prompto, who merely grimaced in response.

            “I’m not sure you’re thinking this through,” Gladio said, finished with his breakfast.  “Two of you out there in the wild; one inexperienced and accident-prone, and the other too cocky for his own good.”  He threw a knowing glance at both of them.

            “He’s not going to get any better if he doesn’t train,” Noctis argued.

            “And accident-prone is a little harsh,” Prompto quipped, crossing his arms.  Gladio raised an eyebrow.  “I said it was harsh; I didn’t say it was wrong.”  Prompto pouted.

            “Look, I don’t want you two getting killed,” Gladio said flatly.  “Let me come with.  Ignis can stay here and stock up on supplies.  Maybe talk to the restaurant owner and find out about the area.”  Ignis nodded.

            “Fine,” Noctis said.  “Let’s go, then.”

            Prompto fidgeted with his pistol as they walked, opening and closing the barrel, making sure it was loaded.  He jumped at every noise, every howl of wind, every tumbleweed that crossed their path.  “It’s going to be fine,” Noctis said forcefully.  “Just relax.”

            “Easy for you to say,” Prompto said.  “You two have been sparring forever.”

            Gladio laughed.  “And the prince was terrible at the beginning.”  He clapped a hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “You’ve got me with you now.  You’re gonna be just fine.  And—”  He stopped.  Something caught his eye.  “Over there.”  He pointed.  “A pack of sabertusks.  Let’s go.”

            They tried to sneak up on them, but the animals had already picked up their scent.  Gladio took a few down easily, dodging out of the way as they rushed toward him, then landing the killing blow when they least suspected it.  Prompto was trying to stay back, and he was landing some hits.  No kill shots, but some decent hits.  Noctis rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding a sabertusk as it lunged at him.  He scrambled to get back on his feet, and as he did, the beast jumped him again, knocking him to the ground.  Noctis managed to get his sword up, gritting his teeth as the beast’s sharp claws scratched at the blade.  He grunted, trying to push the animal off, but it was no use.  He was pinned to the ground and it was a lot stronger than him.  It snapped its jaws and drool dripped onto Noctis’s face as he strained to avoid being bitten.  The animal’s massive teeth were so close now—he could feel its bristled fur against his cheek as he turned away.

            And then he heard it: a gunshot, piercing through all the noise of the battle.  The creature fell down dead and Noctis heaved it aside.  “I gotcha, buddy,” came Prompto’s voice as he pulled Noctis to his feet.  Noctis felt an arm around his shoulders but he was still catching his breath.  “You okay?”

            “Perfect,” Noctis coughed.  His arms and legs felt like jelly, but at least he was alive.

            “You were almost dog chow,” Prompto said with a laugh.

            “All right over there?” Gladio shouted, pulling his sword out of one of the sabertusks’ heads.  He propped the weapon on his shoulder, approaching them.  “You’re still alive,” he smirked.

            “Thanks to Prompto,” Noctis replied, rubbing his chest.

            “You need to keep an eye out,” Gladio said, his tone scolding, but not condescending.  “You’re too distracted out there.”  He nodded at Prompto.  “You could learn something from blondie.”  Prompto gaped at him.  “He saw you go down and did something about it.  Nice shot, kid.”

            Prompto smiled.  “Thanks, big guy.”  Noctis couldn’t help but smile too, even though he was being lectured.  Prompto had good instincts and he was a fast learner.  He was going to be all right.  “Hey, let’s keep going!” he said excitedly.  “I want some more practice!  I think I’m finally getting the hang of this thing.”

            Noctis sighed, relieved that his plan was working.  With every battle, he got better and better, and more and more comfortable using his weapon.  Prompto was good at a lot of things, but he had always lacked confidence.  And somehow Gladio, who was usually such a hardass, knew when to build him up.  Noctis lagged behind, watching the two interact.  Although they hadn’t known each other all that long, Gladio had already taken Prompto under his wing.  He really had that big brother thing down.

            “Hey, Noct!” Prompto called.  “There’s another group over here!  Let’s take ‘em on!”

            “I’m coming!”  Noctis ran to catch up and jumped right back into the fray.


	9. The Fall

            It was in all the papers.  Ignis had checked every one of them.  When he had gone out that morning, he had expected to come back with coffee, but instead he had greeted everyone with the news of devastation back home.  The king was dead.  Lady Lunafreya was dead.  The Kingsglaive was gone, the crystal taken.  He had grabbed the vendor by his collar and demanded to know if the papers had been tampered with.  It had not been a shining moment, but Ignis had been well past caring about formalities at that point.  And he had apologized profusely before leaving, even giving the man extra gil.

            The walk back to the room had been long, but not long enough.  He had stood outside the door for a good minute, preparing himself to enter.  Noct responded poorly, as was expected.  He was upset, he was emotional, and he had stormed off in the end.  Gladio had said he needed to cool off.  He was right.  Prompto had gone out after the prince eventually and Ignis didn’t have the heart to stop him.  Perhaps he would be able to get Noctis to focus.

            “I just can’t believe it,” Ignis said when he and Gladio were alone.  Gladio was staring at the paper, carefully reading the article.  Ignis rubbed his forehead.  “I wonder if anyone got out of the citadel.”

            “Not if they were anywhere near the king,” Gladio grunted, finally setting the paper aside.

            “Then your father,” Ignis began quietly, realizing the weight of that statement far too late.

            “Yeah.  He’s dead too,” Gladio replied without much emotion.

            Ignis frowned, clasping his hands in his lap.  “I’m sorry.”  He didn’t know what else to say.  There didn’t seem to _be_ much else to say.

            His words hung in the air for a moment before Gladio turned to him.  “That’s the duty of the Crownsguard.  We protect the royal family until the end.  If they go before us, then we didn’t do our jobs.”

            Ignis was taken aback by Gladio’s disassociation and almost disregard for his father.  He had responded very little, more concerned about Noctis’s safety than anything else, and even now that they were alone, he had turned to reading the paper.  Ignis hadn’t expected him to cry—Gladio was much too stoic for that—but he had expected some sense of vulnerability from the man.  Then again, Gladio must have been prepared for this.  Clarus’s duty was to lay down his life for the king, after all.  But still…Ignis found it to be a hard pill to swallow.  “It’s all right to be upset,” he finally said.

            “Huh, like Noct?”  Gladio rolled his eyes.

            “Perhaps not as explosive as Noct, but showing no emotion at all isn’t exactly healthy,” Ignis said, frowning.  “Everyone grieves in their own way, though,” he murmured after getting no response from him.

            “Would you feel better if I cried?” Gladio said tiredly.  “Because I might be able to muster a tear if I thought it would make you drop it.”

            Ignis stood up, frustrated.  “I’m trying to be helpful.”

            Gladio looked up.  “If you want to help, then sit down.”

            Ignis frowned, puzzled.  “What do you want me to do?  I try to talk to you and all that does is make you angry.  I try to leave and you tell me not to.”

            “I want you to stay,” Gladio said.  “Just stop trying to fix me.”  Ignis kept his eyes on him as he sat back down.  “Of course I’m upset about losing my father.  We’re—we _were_ close.  But he died an honorable death, serving the king.  I have more respect for him now than ever.”  He glanced up.  “Is that enough for you?”

            Ignis took his glasses off, pinching his nose.  “I shouldn’t have been so presumptuous about your feelings.  I apologize.”

            “Shut up.  It’s not worth all that.”  Gladio sighed, hanging his head.  “There’s something that’s bothering me more than my dad.”  Ignis peered at him.  “I haven’t heard from Iris.  She was in the citadel too.”  He stared at his phone, his brow furrowed.  “I hope she got out okay.”

            Ignis reached over, placing a light hand on his shoulder.  “If she’s as quick-witted as her brother, I daresay she’s completely safe, far outside Insomnia,” he said with a small smile.  He hoped that much was true.  No, he didn’t just hope.  He knew it.  Iris was fine.  She had to be, because if she wasn’t, that would break Gladio, and Ignis had no idea how he could come back from that.

            Gladio put his phone away.  “Yeah, I hope you’re right.”  He pulled the newspaper out, reading the headline again.

            “I’d better check on Noct,” Ignis said, standing up.

            “Don’t,” Gladio said quickly, reaching out.  He blinked, then pulled his hand back, clenching his fist.  Ignis stopped, puzzled.  “I mean…Prompto’s with him already.  Don’t want to crowd him.”

            “I suppose you’re right.”  Ignis smiled, sitting back down beside him.  “It’s going to take Noct some time to recover from this.”

            “Yeah, and there aren’t enough Magitek soldiers to quench his thirst for revenge either.”  Gladio shook his head.  “But at the same time, at least he’s _doing_ something.  He wants to go back.  He wants to fight.  We may make a king out of him yet.”

            Ignis furrowed his brow.  He didn’t like the idea of Noctis being swept away by his emotions, even if he was taking action.  His revenge would mean very little if he did not complete his mission.  “I do worry about him.  He’s so reckless—one of these times, he’s going to get himself killed.”

            “You just leave that to me,” Gladio said, leaning back.  “Stick to worrying about his nutrition.  You’re good at that.”

            “Stop teasing,” Ignis muttered, averting his eyes.

            “I’m not teasing,” Gladio said with a chuckle.  “A balanced diet is necessary for exacting revenge.”

            That drew a small smile from Ignis.  “Well, it’s good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”  He glanced out the window, where Noctis and Prompto were sitting together.  “I should really check on them now.”

 

\---

 

            Prompto didn’t know what to say.  Noct hadn’t said a word for at least ten minutes.  He was just sitting against the side of the building, staring out at the ocean.  Prompto didn’t know what it was like…to _lose_ a parent.  He had never really had parents to begin with; he had certainly never become close to the Argentums.  He rarely saw them.  So, losing them wouldn’t be that big of a deal.  Not really.  Not if he was really honest with himself.  But Noct…his father had been everything.  He had lost his mother when he was a kid, so it had just been him and his father for years.  And then there was Luna.  She was a close friend.  Prompto only had one of those, and he knew he’d be devastated if he lost him.

            “Um…do you…want to talk about it?” Prompto said carefully.  He didn’t want to make Noct say anything if he didn’t want to, but if he did…he wanted to be there for him.

            “How did this happen?” Noctis finally said.  His hand had moved to cover his eyes.  “How could the Empire do this?  What was Luna doing here in the first place?  How could they be dead?” he said shakily.

            “We don’t know they’re…dead,” Prompto said quickly.  “Sorry,” he added softly.

            “No.  They’re dead,” Noctis repeated.  “Don’t sugarcoat it.  Clarus, Luna, my dad—they’re all dead.  And that _treaty_?  That was a joke!”  He slammed his fist into the ground.  “He should have never accepted those terms—I _told_ him not to!  _Dammit_ , he never listened to me!”

            Prompto watched him sadly, now more than ever at a loss for words.  He wanted to hold him, comfort him, assure him that everything would be okay.  What was stopping him, then?  He furrowed his brow and started to reach for Noctis, only to stop abruptly.  Ignis and Gladio were on the other side of the wall.  He settled for moving a bit closer so that their bodies touched.  “I know I can’t say anything to make this better,” he began slowly, letting his knee fall against Noct’s.  “But if there’s anything I _can_ do, just tell me, and I’ll do it.”  He was surprised by the desperation in his own voice.  He had never seen Noctis in this kind of pain and it was…hard to watch.

            He half expected Noctis to lash out at him and wouldn’t have blamed him, given the circumstances.  But instead, Noctis let out a shaky breath and leaned against him.  Their heads were nearly touching.  “Just stay by my side.”

            “Always,” Prompto said with a smile.  “That’s an easy one.”

            They stayed that way for a while longer.  Noct didn’t seem to want to move and Prompto certainly wasn’t about to.  “I think it’s time to go,” Noctis said at length.  And he wasn’t the only one who thought so.  When they had gotten to their feet, they ran into Ignis around the corner.

            “Shall we?” Ignis said gravely.

            Noctis nodded.  “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you again to my beta reader! Sorry for the long wait, guys! The next chapter is almost done, so it will definitely be up in the next few days.


	10. Ambush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta reader! And thank you to everyone who continues to read and comment. <3

            Alarm bells went off in Ignis’s head.  It wasn’t that he was keeping tabs on Gladio, but his presence was such on the battlefield that it was noticeable when he was missing.  Ignis scanned the area: there were two Spiracorns, both of which were currently occupied with Noctis and Prompto.  It was starting to get dark and his glasses were dirty, impairing his vision.  At that moment, a third Spiracorn came bursting through the bushes towards him.  It was wounded, with long gashes on its legs and torso.  Even the horn had been broken off.  In one swift movement, Ignis jumped, brandishing his daggers, going in for the kill shot.  They connected with the beast and it collapsed in a heap at his feet.  He stood over it, breathing heavily.  From what he could see in the vanishing sunlight, it looked like Gladio’s handiwork.  Holding his daggers at the ready, he headed to the area the beast had come from.  His instincts had been right: Gladio was face down in the dirt, completely still.

            “Gladio!”  He rushed over and crouched down next to him, putting his hands on his shoulder and back.  Gladio was warm to the touch, and managed to groan in response, so at least Ignis knew he was still alive.  But he wouldn’t be for long if he couldn’t stop the bleeding.  There was already a large stain on the ground, and blood was still steadily leaking from the apparent wound.  Upon further investigation, once he had managed to turn Gladio over (with no help from the larger man, either), he found a long gash along his side.  He carefully moved Gladio’s vest aside, taking a closer look at the ugly gash on his torso.  He bit his lip; this could be bad.  Ignis quickly removed his dress shirt, then tore off his undershirt, balling it up and pressing it hard on the wound.  The animal had charged him, trying to gore him, but Gladio had apparently dodged at the last second, saving himself from a more immediate death, but earning him a nasty wound all the same.  He continued to apply pressure to the wound for the next several minutes.  It was a large gash, but thankfully the bulk of it was only skin deep.  Ignis stared down at his comrade—no, friend.  He was conscious, but barely.  How could he have been so stupid, wandering off on his own like that?  He shivered a little, as the wind started to pick up, hitting his bare skin like icy water.  After a while, the bleeding seemed to slow.  Ignis sighed, relieved, and allowed himself to relax slightly.

            Gladio groaned a little and opened his eyes, rubbing his forehead.  He had a nasty bump there as well, Ignis noticed.  “Iggy, what…?  Where are the other two?” he asked, a little dazed.  “I…need to get back out there,” Gladio said, straining as he tried to sit up.  “Gimme an elixir—I’ll be good as new.”

            “They’ll be fine,” Ignis said as he pushed him back down, the sound of steel clattering and gunshots ringing in his ears.  “We’re out of elixir, so all I can give you is a potion once I tend to your wound.  And I can’t do that if you won’t _sit still_ ,” he added, using both hands to push Gladio down.  He adjusted his glasses and carefully went through the first aid kit, pulling out the items he would need, trying not to hear Gladio’s labored, raspy breathing.  His hands shook slightly as he pulled out the bottle of alcohol.  Taking a deep breath, he warned, “This is going to hurt.”  Gladio grunted in response.  Trying to be tough.  That was just like him.  Ignis would have teased him if the situation hadn’t been so dire.  But all the same, Gladio winced and grit his teeth when the alcohol ran through the open wound and trickled down his side where the horn had shredded his skin.  Ignis went through all the cotton pads cleaning it, his hands trembling all the while.  He cursed himself for being this rattled.  It was bound to happen.  They were going to get hurt—all of them.  But something at the back of his mind had always said, _not Gladio_.  He was too strong, his strength and prowess with a sword unmatched by anyone other than Cor the Immortal.

            Gladio drank the potion as Ignis, having stitched up the wound, dressed the wound slowly and methodically.  “I had you scared, huh?”  Ignis paused for a moment, but didn’t respond.  He knew when he was being baited.  “C’mon, you can admit it, Iggy.  You thought I was gonna kick the bucket, and that scared the shit out of you.”

            A sigh escaped Ignis’s lips as he worked.  “Any one of us would have been shaken up to find you like that,” he said.  “However, it’s more disturbing that you were so careless as to wander off on your own to take on an animal that you’re not strong enough to—”

            “Hey!” Gladio interjected, and Ignis looked at him with surprise and anger.  “I’m strong enough,” he growled.  “I just slipped up.”

            Ignis stared at him for a moment, then went back to wrapping the wound, nimble fingers dancing around and around Gladio’s abdomen.  “It wasn’t my intention to offend you,” he said gently.  “Only it occurred to me how lost we would be without you.”

            The anger in Gladio’s face melted away almost instantly.  For a moment, it seemed he didn’t know how to respond, but he quickly recovered.  “Aww, Iggy, I’m touched,” he said, his tone teasing, but with a touch of sincerity.  “I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”

            Ignis glanced at him and Gladio caught his gaze.  The look was something he couldn’t place at first, a look he’d never received before, especially from Gladio.  But the longer he stared, the hotter his cheeks got, and the more he realized what that look meant.  He swallowed and quickly tied off the bandage.  “Well.  You’re all set,” he said with finality, his throat feeling very dry.  This was neither the time nor the place for looks like that, he told himself.

            “Thanks, Iggy.”  Gladio smiled warmly.  “My knight in shining armor—well, white mage,” he said in that same teasing tone again.

            “Indeed.”  Ignis was reaching for his dress shirt when Noctis and Prompto came rushing into the clearing.

            “Whoa,” Prompto said, stopping dead in his tracks, while Noctis gaped at them.  “Gladio, are you okay?” he asked worriedly.

            “Where’s your shirt?” Noctis said, bemused.

            “He’ll be fine,” Ignis said, with a quick nod to Prompto and a glare at Noctis.  Prompto nodded back, his concern turning to relief.

            “Thanks to Iggy, I think I’ll make a full recovery,” Gladio said, as Ignis helped him up.  “We’d better make camp, though.”

            “ _You_ need to take it easy for a few days,” Ignis scolded, supporting Gladio as they stood.  “A hotel would be best, but we won’t reach one tonight.”  Gladio nodded, conceding with a small smile on his lips.

            “Here, let me help!” Prompto said, rushing forward to support the larger man.  Gladio snorted, but put his arm around Prompto as they started to walk ahead.  “I gotcha, big guy.”

            Ignis pulled on his dress shirt and picked up his bloodied undershirt, watching them for a moment.  “Hey,” Noctis said, tapping his arm.  “You okay?”

            “Why wouldn’t I be?” Ignis said.  He wrung out the shirt and his stomach turned a bit when the blood seeped out.  He wasn’t sure why he was bringing it with.  The blood would never wash out, that much he knew.  He would have to purchase another when they reached Lestallum.  He frowned.  Such a frivolous purchase—a luxury.

            “Uh, Gladio got pretty hurt,” Noctis said, falling into step beside him.  They were far enough behind Prompto and Gladio to be out of earshot.  He nudged Ignis in the ribs.  “You just seem pretty shaken.”

            “As I would be if it had been either of you bleeding out in the dirt,” Ignis said, exasperated.

            Noctis shrugged.  “Yeah, I guess.”  There was silence for a moment, but they could hear Prompto chattering away.  “We’d be pretty screwed without him, wouldn’t we?” Noctis mused.

            “We would,” Ignis said without hesitation.  Noctis nodded.  “He’s the strongest of us all…in a number of ways.”

            “You’re pretty strong too, y’know,” Noctis said candidly.  Ignis raised an eyebrow and Noctis chuckled.  “I mean it!  Not many people could’ve stayed that calm under that kind of pressure.  I know I couldn’t.  And we both know Prompto would be helpless.”

            Ignis shook his head, but a shy smile had spread over his lips.  “I think we all have our strengths and weaknesses.”  He glanced at him.  “So, how did you fare?  Do you need any medical attention?”

            “Nah,” Noctis said.  “Just some scrapes.  There were a few close calls, though—I had to save _his_ ass once or twice,” he smirked, looking at Prompto.

            “I’m sure he will do the same for you before this journey is over,” Ignis said.  Noctis didn’t respond, but instead smiled, looking down.  There was silence for a while, before Ignis spoke up.  “I was terrified,” he admitted shakily.  It was obvious the prince didn’t know what to say.  “He’s going to be all right…but what if I’m not able to fix him next time?  He keeps running headfirst into danger without thinking.”

            “He’s never going to stop that,” Noctis said.  “You know how he is.”

            “Unfortunately I do.”  Ignis rubbed his forehead, smoothing out the creases.

            “Try not to worry too much.”  Ignis glanced at him.  “If you’re anxious, you’re gonna slip up.  Before, when we were just starting out, I’d freak out every time I lost sight of Prompto.  I was so focused on him that I was putting myself in danger.”  He paused, meeting Ignis’s eyes.  “So, just trust Gladio.  He knows what he’s doing.”

            Ignis smiled.  “I never thought I’d be getting advice from you, Noct.”

            Noctis smiled back.  “To be honest, it’s actually Gladio’s advice.”  He scratched the back of his head.  “So I can’t take all the credit.”

            “It’s good advice,” Ignis said, putting a hand on his shoulder.  “I’ll try to keep it in mind.”  He kept his eyes on Gladio most of the evening, but only approached him once Noctis and Prompto had gone to bed.  “How are you feeling?”  Gladio had insisted on sleeping out under the stars, and Ignis hadn’t wanted to argue, so he had given up his sleeping bag so that Gladio would be more comfortable.  Those were the conditions.

            “I’m all right,” Gladio said, though his voice was strained.

            “We’ll make for a hotel in the morning.”  Ignis took his glasses off and carefully cleaned them.  “You can recover for the next few days.  Unless you’d rather head for Lestallum,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

            “No,” Gladio answered quickly.  “If Iris sees me like this, she’ll never let me leave.”

            “I suspect you’re right about that,” Ignis said with a smile.  He replaced his glasses.  “It will mean a little backtracking, but I think you’ve earned a rest.”  Gladio nodded, resigned, and Ignis narrowed his eyes.  “I had expected a fight from you on this.”

            “You probably had your arguments all lined up, didn’t you?” Gladio smirked.

            “I did.”

            “Well, you should be happy, then.”  Gladio shifted, wincing.  “I know when I’ve hit my limit.”

            “I’m a little surprised to hear you say that,” Ignis said.  “Pleasantly surprised, of course.”

            “I can be honest about it with you,” Gladio replied, catching Ignis’s gaze.  Ignis couldn’t hold it for long before he averted his eyes, feeling that familiar heat in his cheeks.  “But tomorrow, at least in front of those two, go along with me and make it look like I put up a fight.”

            Ignis laughed softly.  Same old Gladio.  “Certainly.”


	11. Ardyn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! Thanks to everyone who's sticking with me!

            They were close to the Archaeon.  One more night, and then they would be there.  It had been tempting for all of them to go straight there, but they eventually came to the conclusion that it was better to head into the potential struggle at full strength.  They did not need to make mistakes due to exhaustion.  Prompto eyed the cloaked stranger warily from inside the tent.  Noctis did the same.  He didn't trust this Ardyn Izunia person, but he felt like the man had answers to questions they hadn't even thought to ask.  And he was going to lead them straight to the Archaeon, a place they undoubtedly needed to gain entry into.  Right now, he was talking to Ignis and Gladio—Gladio, who had insisted that someone keep an eye on the man at all times.

            "What are you thinking?" Prompto whispered, breaking the silence.  His voice was normal, but his forehead was creased in worry.

            "I don't trust him," Noctis said simply, barely taking his eyes off of Ardyn.

            "Maybe he can help us," Prompto said, shifting to see outside the tent.

            Noctis scowled.  "I don't want his help."  He heard Prompto sigh and turned to him.  "We can figure this out on our own."  Prompto scratched the back of his head, his expression neutral.  "This guy is trouble.  I can feel it."

            "He's a total creep, don't get me wrong," Prompto smirked.  "But I think he might be useful...at least in some way."

            "Maybe," Noctis said thoughtfully.  "Still."  He stared at the man, noting the firelight accentuating the gleam in his eyes.  He didn't seem like their enemy, but Noctis couldn't bring himself to see the man as anything else.  It was nothing that he had said or done—he just had an unpleasant aura about him.

            He felt Prompto's hand on his back.  "Hey, you should sleep."  Noctis frowned, resisting.  "They've got it covered."  Noctis allowed himself to be coaxed down, but he positioned himself so he could see Ardyn through the open tent flap.  Prompto lied down in front of him, curling his arm under his head.  "Noct, if nothing else, we should still be able to get some information from him.  That's what Ignis thinks, I bet."

            Noctis shrugged, staring back at him.  "You're not gonna go to sleep until I do, are you?" he asked, exasperated as the blonde watched him without blinking.

            Prompto grinned.  "That's right.  And I just downed an Ebony, so I could do this all night."

            Noctis smiled in spite of himself.  Prompto was always trying to distract him from anything upsetting.  He supposed it was a good thing under normal circumstances, but right now, it was just frustrating.  He wanted to hear the conversation outside, he wanted to confront Ardyn about his true intentions.  But he would have to appease his boyfriend for the time being.  He shut his eyes and waited.  Before long, he heard the soft snores that he had grown all too familiar with, and when he opened his eyes, Prompto was on his back with his mouth hanging open, a trail of drool leading from the corner of his lips.  Noctis smiled and slowly crawled to the entrance of the tent, leaving as quietly as possible.  He approached Ardyn and stopped, looming over the man.  "What do you want, exactly?"

            "So, the prince awakes," he smirked.  "Shouldn't you be getting your beauty rest?"

            "Answer my question," Noctis said forcefully.

            "Noct," Ignis said, sitting forward in his chair.  "You should sleep while you have a chance."

            Noctis glared at Ardyn.  "I want to know what this guy's intentions are," he said, his eyes hard.  Ardyn cocked his head, smiling teasingly.

            "All I'm trying to do is _help_ you, Majesty," Ardyn replied unctuously.

            "Right," Noctis shot back, "like I'd believe that for a second—!"  Suddenly a sharp pain hit him behind his eyes.  He pressed his hands to his forehead, sucking in a sharp breath through his gritted teeth.  This was the worst pain he'd yet experienced.  The headaches were getting worse and worse.  He couldn't see straight and a tear leaked from his eye.

            "Are you all right, Noct?" Ignis said, rushing over.  He put his hand on Noctis's shoulder, hunching over and peering at him.

            "How _are_ those headaches, Your Highness?" Ardyn drawled, with a smile on his face that made Noctis uneasy.  "Are they getting worse?  Hm, I wonder why _that_ could be."

            Noctis pushed the blinding pain aside for the moment and surged forward, grabbing Ardyn by his collar with both hands.  "I don't trust you—none of us do!"  Ardyn simply smiled at him, completely unfazed.  "If you try to hurt any of my friends, I won't hesitate to run you through, got it?"

            Ardyn cocked his head, then furrowed his brow slightly in a look meant to gain sympathy.  The fact that he wasn't struggling at all was infuriating; he just raised his hands in supplication.  "Oh, yes, of course.  I wouldn't _dream_ of doing anything so uncouth, Your Highness."

            Noctis narrowed his eyes, then shoved him back down roughly.  "Stop calling me that."  Ardyn gave a slight bow and Noctis shook his head angrily.  Bastard.  He took a few steps and Ignis stopped him, grasping his arm.

            "We won't take our eyes off him," he said in hushed tones.  "Please try to rest."

            Noctis pulled his arm away, glowering at Ardyn.  Finally, he turned back to Ignis, lowering his head in resignation.  He went back into the tent where Prompto was sitting up, rubbing his eyes tiredly, then tied the flap shut so he couldn't see them anymore.  Noctis lied down on his sleeping bag, pain still stinging behind his eyes.  Prompto looked a little disappointed in the prince, but he eventually wrapped his arms around Noctis's waist and fell asleep with his head between his shoulder blades.  Noctis couldn't sleep, but having Prompto's arms curled around him provided a small amount of comfort at least.

            "He's sleeping."  Ignis sipped at his coffee, watching the stranger's chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm.  "I'm sure," he said at Gladio's questioning look.

            "What are you thinking?" Gladio said, leaning forward in his chair.  "I know those gears are working.  I can always tell."

            "I think that you spend far too much time watching my expressions," Ignis said pointedly.

            "You say that, but I can see you blushing," Gladio smirked, crossing his arms.

            "That's the firelight," Ignis snapped, though he blushed even harder.  He sighed, glancing at Ardyn.  "I think we should get as much information out of him as possible.  He knows a lot more than he's letting on."

            "Why do you think he's helping us?" Gladio said, scratching the back of his head.  "What's in it for him?"

            Ignis frowned.  "That's what I'd like to know."  He pushed his glasses up.  "The man practically appears out of thin air just when we need him.  That's certainly convenient."

            "I can't see any reason not to accept his help, though," Gladio said thoughtfully.  "He hasn't given us any reason not to trust him, not really."

            "Other than just being generally suspicious," Ignis said with a glance at Gladio.  "We've already agreed to go along with him, so let's continue with that plan.  Once Noctis confronts the Archaeon...well, we'll have to figure things out from there."  His eyebrows knitted together in worry.

            "Hey."  Ignis's eyes flicked towards Gladio.  "Noct is gonna be okay.  My job is to protect him, and I plan on doing just that."  Ignis averted his eyes, embarrassed he'd let his expression betray his thoughts again.  "So, stop worrying."

            Ignis sighed.  "I shall certainly try.  Only," he began, stopping himself.  Gladio watched him expectantly and he rested his cup on his knee before continuing.  "I can't help but feel I'm devastatingly unprepared for this.  Yes, I'm skilled with daggers and can perform first aid to a point, but...I want to advise him, only I don't know what to say."

            Gladio heaved a sigh.  "Look, we all want to do what's best for him, and I think we all have different ideas of what that is, but don't ever think for a second that you're not trying your damnedest.  You've come a long way from that bookworm I met when I was a teenager.  You still have a part to play in all this."

            Ignis gaped at him, a sudden warmth spreading throughout his chest.  How is it he always knew what to say?  "Gladio, I—"

            Gladio put his hand up.  "Don't say something you're going to regret later."

            Ignis looked down, smiling.  "I was only going to say thank you."  He paused for a moment, watching Gladio look embarrassed, a rare occurrence.  "And you haven't changed at all.  Always hot-headed, brimming with confidence, eager to learn.  Although, much like the young prince, you were never interested in your studies."

            "I liked hand-to-hand combat," Gladio said, drawing a chuckle from Ignis.

            Ardyn suddenly stirred and they both turned to look at him.  "Having a moment, are we?  Sorry to interrupt."  He stretched and made himself comfortable again.  "I'm a little thirsty."  Gladio frowned and retrieved a nearby canteen, handing it to Ardyn, who received it with a smile.  "Oh, thank you very much."

            "Whatever," Gladio grunted, sitting down again.  He looked at Ignis, who knew what he was thinking.  They were in for a long night.


	12. You're Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, so sorry for the delay. I am stretching things out while I wait for Episode Prompto. That episode could heavily affect future chapters, so I'm taking my time. Thank you all for reading and sticking with me, and, as always, thank you to my beta reader for putting up with me!

            "You think Noct'll be okay in there?"

            Ignis glanced at Prompto, who was gripping the fence and squinting at the power plant entrance, eagerly awaiting Noctis's return.  Prompto hadn't been able to keep still the entire time, which even Ignis admitted was getting to be a little long.  "I'm sure he's just fine."

            Prompto frowned, then gave a determined little nod.  "You're right.  I shouldn't worry."  He rubbed his bare arms, feeling a slight chill from the breeze.  "Do you ever get worried...y'know, about Gladio?  He didn't say when he was coming back, and what if he _doesn't_ come back?  I mean, what would we do without him?  We'd never make it—"

            Ignis ignored him.  He was voicing all the fears that had run through his own mind over and over again, and hearing them was too much to bear.  Perhaps it was cathartic for Prompto to say all of it out loud, but for Ignis, it was just painful.  He didn't want to think about where Gladio might be right now...lying in some cavern, deep underground, body sliced to ribbons.  He clenched his fist and breathed in sharply.  No, he needed to focus on something else, but all he could see was Gladio's mangled body crumpled in the dirt.

            "Shit, is that—?" Prompto said, before breaking off.  "Look!  It's him!  With Noct!"

            Ignis was barely paying attention, and was about to scold Prompto for shaking him when he looked up.  He froze, gaping at the pair as they emerged from the power plant.  Noctis had gone in alone and now Gladio was with him, waltzing along as if nothing had happened.  As they came closer, Ignis saw there was a long scar across his face now.  A new scar.  What had he gone through since they had parted ways?  What horrors had he seen in those underground dungeons?  The bloody images he’d conjured were still fresh in Ignis's mind, but he managed to push them aside.  Gladio was alive, and he was here, walking towards him with a sheepish look on his face.

            "Ouch," Prompto said, echoing Ignis's thoughts.  "He looks like he's been through a lot."  Ignis couldn't do anything other than blink and stare ahead.  "Iggy?  Ignis?  You okay?"

            Ignis shook himself.  "Yes.  Fine."  He glanced at Prompto and frowned when he saw the lop-sided grin on his face.

            "It's okay to be happy to see him, y'know," Prompto continued, turning his gaze to Noctis and Gladio once more.  Ignis tried to maintain his composure, but he got goosebumps at the thought of how Prompto perceived his relationship with Gladio.  "I know you were mad when he left, but...let it go.  Life's too short.  You know?"  Ignis frowned.  He certainly wasn't about to have it out with Gladio right now.  There was a time and a place after all.  His feelings of abandonment could wait.

            "You're back."  He tried to sound calm, but his tone revealed his own internal turmoil: disappointment and elation, fear and joy, anger and indifference.

            "I never said I wasn't coming back," Gladio said, squirming a little under his gaze.

            "You didn't say you _were_ coming back either," Ignis pointed out.

            "It was implied," Gladio said without missing a beat.  Ignis crossed his arms and averted his eyes for a moment, recalling the last time they had been alone like this.

_"I don't expect you to understand how important these Trials are to me."  Gladio stood several feet away, but it may as well have been a mile, as far as Ignis was concerned.  "I just want you to accept it."_

            _"Accept what?" Ignis snapped.  "That you may not come back?"  He sighed, shaking his head.  "And when do you plan on telling the others?  Or did you intend to slip out during the night and leave me to deal with delivering that news in the morning?"_

            _Gladio took a few steps.  "I wanted you to know first."_

            _"Is that so?" Ignis challenged.  Gladio nodded, stepping even closer.  He was very close.  Almost too close for comfort, certainly too close for Ignis's comfort level.  He cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure, but his heart was beating so loud and fast that it was difficult to think straight.  "Had it ever occurred to you that my skills might not be up to snuff?  That I might not be able to protect them both?  Noct is enough of a handful without adding Prompto into the mix.  Do you really think we can make it without you?"_

            _Ignis never received an answer, because Gladio had suddenly embraced him with his strong arms.  Every fiber of his being wanted to resist, wanted to push away and scold him for doing something so brazen out in the open, but he couldn't.  In the end, he accepted it, resting his hands at Gladio's waist and letting his head fall limp against his shoulder.  What was this feeling?  All at once, he felt warmed and wounded, and his heart ached.  He didn't like it.  And as his fingers slowly grasped the fabric at Gladio's back, he found he hated it.  He felt as if he had lost control._

 

"So, are you gonna be mad at me forever?" Gladio said, pulling Ignis back to the present.  He leaned on the railing that overlooked the sea.  Again, he was too close.  "I came back, right?  And in one piece."

            Ignis raised an eyebrow, looking at the deep scar on his chest.  "Barely."

            Gladio glanced down at the scar, placing his hand over it.  He let out a breathy chuckle.  "To be honest, I was more worried about you guys the whole time I was gone."  He paused, rubbing the back of his neck.  "I hope they didn't cause you too much trouble."

            Ignis shook his head and even allowed a smile to show.  "We have what we need to set sail to Altissia, thanks to Aranea Highwind.  Used to work for the Empire, but she's...freelance now."  Gladio nodded, listening intently to Ignis as he related their journey through the Vesperpool, but he seemed preoccupied.  "Is something bothering you?" Ignis inquired, peering at him.

            Gladio shrugged and fixed his eyes on the dark horizon.  "You never answered my question."  He turned his head, catching Ignis's gaze.  "Are you upset with me?"

            Ignis sighed.  He wanted to be angry.  He had every right to be angry, but the truth was...he wasn't.  "I was," he said simply.  Gladio visibly relaxed, the tension dropping from his shoulders.  "Now, I'm just glad you're back."

            Gladio smiled, turning back to the horizon.  Their shoulders touched as his body turned, but he didn't move away, and for once, Ignis didn't care.  "Yeah, me too."  He paused for a moment and Ignis could feel his heartbeat quickening—or maybe that was his own.  It was hard to tell.  "There's something I want to say, and I know there's a time and a place, but you know as well as I do that either of our numbers could be up anytime."  Ignis gripped the railing.  Now his heart really was racing, and it was pounding so hard in his ears that he wasn't sure he would even be able to hear Gladio.  "I just don't want to die before saying this."

            "Gladio, don't," Ignis said, gripping his wrist.  "You'll only regret it."

            "Don't use my own words against me," Gladio snapped, though there was no anger in his tone.  Ignis swallowed, unable to look at him.  "Then I'll just say this," he said, grabbing Ignis's hand and lacing their fingers together.  The sudden heat he now felt had become unfamiliar, but it was welcome.  "I'll be by your side.  Always."  Ignis nodded and Gladio suddenly let go of his hand, turning around and walking away.  Ignis watched after him, his cheeks flushed, his heart racing, his head spinning.  This had never been the plan.  Falling in love wasn't an option anymore, and he had resisted for so long.  They both had.  So why was Gladio doing this now?  Why had he stopped resisting?


	13. Cape Caem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long. Again, waiting for that darn Episode Prompto. The next chapter will be up shortly as well. Thank you to my lovely beta reader! And thanks for sticking with me, readers!

            Noctis was kissing him before they had even shut the door.  There was nothing gentle about it: it was sloppy and hungry, and Prompto was sure that he would have bruises from the way Noct had dug his fingers into his skin.  This was the first time in weeks, maybe even months, that they had been alone.  There was nothing romantic or playful about their meeting either; it was simply that they needed to be together—to touch each other, to feel each other's heat.  The desire was almost animalistic, and in the end, they simply pushed aside the clothing that got in the way.

            Prompto gasped a little when Noctis pulled out.  He wiped the sweat from his brow.  That had gone too fast, but it had felt so good.  And that feeling lingered so long that he barely noticed Noctis cleaning him up.  He wondered when, if ever, they would be able to do this again.  "Lift your hips a little," Noct whispered.  Prompto obeyed and his partner gently pulled his pants back up to his waist.  He buckled his own and lay down beside the blonde, still breathing heavily.  "Sorry, I know it hurt pretty bad."

            "It's okay," Prompto said honestly.  "If I'd wanted you to stop, I would've told you."

            Noctis smirked.  "It sounded like you were enjoying it."

            Prompto blushed, remembering the uncontrollable moans that escaped his lips.  His eyebrows came together as a teasing smile played on Noctis’s lips.  “Please don’t bring that up.”

            Noctis’s smile widened as he brushed a wisp of blonde hair from Prompto’s forehead.  "Why?  I love hearing you.  It makes me feel better about totally wrecking you.”

            Prompto covered his face as he blushed even harder, muttering, "God, I hope no one could hear us."  He swiped at his forehead again.  It was so damn hot, he kept sweating.  “I couldn’t face them if they knew.”

            "Stop worrying," Noctis said, kissing his ear.  Prompto cringed.  Noct knew how ticklish he was, but he continued to kiss him, moving to his neck, where his stubble tickled Prompto even more.

            "Hey!"  Prompto pushed Noctis onto his back, ending up half on top of him.  He didn't often get to be in a position of control, he thought, as he pressed his chapped lips against Noct's.  He felt Noctis's hands running up his back, then he suddenly lost his balance as Noctis pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around him, so that Prompto's head fell against his chest.

            Prompto frowned.  Sex and kissing took his mind off everything that was bothering him.  Without something to occupy his body, his mind wandered.  And lying here like this, with Noct’s arms tightly wrapped around him, his fingers pressing into his back…he couldn’t help but think about what was coming next.  They were setting sail for Altissia in the morning.  Just a few hours, and everything would be different.  Noctis was going to get married, treaty or not.  And Prompto would be…

            "Hey," Noct said, loosening his grip.  "What's bothering you?"

            "Hm?"  Prompto flicked his eyes up, even though he couldn't see Noct's face.  He traced the pattern on the prince’s t-shirt absently.  "Everything's going to change when we get to Altissia, isn't it?" Prompto asked at length.  He felt Noctis's arm tighten around him as he listened to his heartbeat, so steady and so calm, compared to his own, which was racing.  Prompto had been thinking a lot about what was coming next, and he was becoming increasingly more anxious about it.

            "I don't know," Noctis said softly.

            "I should have prepared better for it," Prompto said.  "I knew what the outcome would be—we both knew—but I was being selfish and stupid, and now it's going to be so much harder."  He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus on Noct's heartbeat again.  “I know you don’t want to talk about this, but it’s all I can think about,” he said shakily.

            Noctis placed his hand over Prompto's, curling his fingers around it.  "If I could go back and change things, I'd find you sooner."  Prompto lifted himself up, blinking in surprise.  Noctis had tears in his eyes, but his voice didn't waver.  "I'd tell you not to be scared or intimidated, and that it doesn't matter to me what you look like."

            Prompto didn't know what else to do, except kiss him.  He couldn't speak, because he was afraid that he would fall apart and cry.  But feeling Noctis's lips pressed against his and his hands on his face, Prompto fell apart anyway, and ended up burying his face in Noctis's shoulder.


	14. Altissia

            All Noctis had wanted to do was get to Luna.  All he had _needed_ to do was get to Luna.  And in the end, he had failed.  Prompto stood next to the bed, watching his chest go up and down with a slow, steady rhythm.  He hoped Noctis would be able to sleep a while longer.  There was no rush.  If they missed the train today, there would be others.  With Luna dead—he shuddered just thinking about it—the sense of urgency was all but gone.  That was just as well, because he felt like they were all dragging themselves to move and think and just...function, like they were all sleepwalking.  He rubbed his eyes and crossed his arms again.  He was exhausted.  In fact, he could barely keep his eyes open.  But he needed to.  He didn't want Noct to be alone when he woke up.

            He turned at the creak of the floorboards.  Gladio was leading Ignis in.  Prompto couldn't help the pained expression that spread over his face.  Ignis had been a guiding light, and now...now he couldn't even see.  He wiped away a stray tear, mostly the product of his exhaustion, as Gladio walked towards him.  He handed him a cup of coffee.  "If you're not gonna sleep, take this," he said gruffly.

            "I have to stay here," Prompto said, accepting the coffee.

            "Ignis said he'll stay," Gladio said.  "Why don't you get some rest?"  He peered at him.  "You haven't slept at all, have you?"

            "Have you?" Prompto said defiantly.  Gladio shrugged, exhaling loudly.  That was just like him.  It didn’t matter how tired _he_ was.  Why’d he have to be so damn selfless right now?  "How is he feeling?" Prompto whispered, glancing at the top of Ignis's head, which was just visible behind the chair.

            "Like shit," Gladio grunted.  "How would you feel?"

            Prompto frowned, clutching the coffee cup.  "Yeah, I guess."  This was awkward.  The tension and anger in Gladio’s voice was unmistakable.  He blew on the steaming liquid, then carefully took a sip.  It was incredibly bitter.  "I wish I could have done something to help."

            "Don't beat yourself up," Gladio said, putting a heavy hand on his shoulder.  "We were outnumbered, so we did the best we could."

            Prompto glanced up at him.  He didn't understand how Gladio could be so calm, so strong, with everything that had just happened.  His head was spinning; he didn't know what to do, he didn't even know what to think.  He turned back to Noctis, who looked like he was dreaming.  His brow was creased and his expression conveyed just one thing: pain.  Prompto set the coffee cup down and stepped closer to the bed.  He knew Gladio's eyes were still on him, but that didn't matter right now.  He reached out and put his hand on Noctis's forehead, then gently stroked his hair.  His aim wasn't to wake him up, just to comfort him, even if he was sleeping.  After a moment, Noctis's face relaxed, the tension melting away.  Prompto couldn’t do much for him now, but if he could ease his pain even a little bit, it was worth it.  His chest ached, knowing how much evil was in this world and just how powerless he was to do anything about it.

            Prompto backed away, furrowing his own brow.  "He looks peaceful now," he said softly.  Gladio grunted, stepping next to him.  Prompto swallowed and glanced up.  "Do you think this is what death looks like?  Just like sleep?  If I imagine it as something peaceful like this, it might not be so hard when I face it myself."

            Gladio frowned, looking away.  "Don't say shit like that.  Nobody's dying," he added after a moment.  "Not if I have anything to do about it."

            "You don't know that," Prompto said, suddenly angry.  "Ignis could have died today, Noct too.  And if it weren't for all of you protecting me, I would've been dead a long time ago."  He bit his lip, trying to control the swell of emotions stirring up inside him.  "We were supposed to be coming here for a wedding," he said shakily.  "It was supposed to be different...it was supposed to be…happy."  He chewed on his lip, remembering his selfish thoughts that Noctis marrying Luna would be the worst thing that could happen.  It turns out that it wasn't.  He wiped his eyes, which had become wet again.  "This is...I can't take this," he said, his voice cracking.

            "It's hard to watch someone you love suffer," Gladio murmured.  "I know."  Prompto turned to him, blinking away tears.  "But you need to be strong for them.  You can't support them if you're falling apart."  Prompto nodded, determination in his eyes.  "Now, go sleep while you can.  I'm gonna check on Iggy."

            He stared after him.  Yes, Ignis.   _That's who you love_.   _That's who you can't stand to see suffer_.  He couldn't hear what they were saying, just low murmurs from faces lost in shadow.  Prompto knew he had to sleep, though he didn’t want to leave Noct’s side.  If he didn't, he would never be able to be there for Noctis.  Luckily sleep came quickly and, before he knew it, it was morning again, but it wasn't light out.  By the time they had prepared everything for the coming journey, the sun was finally rising.

            "Sorry I wasn't there when you woke up," Prompto said, settling in beside Noctis.  Noctis merely shrugged, staring at the water below as he leaned against the railing.  "I wanted to be there, but I was too tired.  I...didn't think I'd be much use to you that way," he added quietly.

            "It's fine," Noctis said and Prompto couldn't help but hear the edge in his voice.

            Prompto sighed, following suit and leaning against the railing.  This was uncomfortable.  How could he be supportive when he could barely talk to him?  He stared at him.  Noctis didn't look angry or sad, even.  His face was expressionless.  "I want to help," he began softly, "but how can I help if you won't talk to me?"  Noctis didn’t move; his eyes remained fixed on the water lapping against the dock.  “Noct,” Prompto tried again, “y-you can’t keep all this inside you.  You’ve got all of us—you’ve got _me_.  You don’t have to do this alone.”

            “You wouldn’t understand,” Noctis said, his voice pained.  “And I don’t want to burden you.  I don’t want to drag you under with me.  Okay?”  Prompto stared at him, unblinking.

            “But I want you to!” Prompto nearly shouted, slamming his fist on the railing.  Noctis looked at him then—really looked at him for the first time, unable to hide his shock.  “I won’t just watch you suffer alone.  I can’t.”

            “Prompto, don’t,” Noctis said sharply.  The shock was gone, replaced by something akin to anger or annoyance.

            “Don’t what?” Prompto demanded.

            “Just stop doing whatever it is you’re doing!”  Noctis gripped the railing with both hands, his knuckles white.  “You can’t help.  You can’t…do _anything_ for me, and I…I don’t want you to.”

            Prompto just gaped at him at first.  How was it that only a few days ago, they were lying in bed together, uncertain of the future, but so sure of their love?  This…this felt like rejection.  His heart pounded but he could barely breathe, and the dull ache in his chest was now screaming pain.  When he found his voice, he could only muster a quiet murmur of, “I’d better see if the others need my help.”


	15. A New Partnership

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. Next one should be coming soon! Next chapter is longer and hopefully will be out by the end of the week, depending on schedules.

            Iris checked her phone again, like she had done every few minutes since the announcement on the radio.  She hugged her knees with one arm, setting her phone aside.  Still nothing.  Why wasn't Gladio contacting her?  She bit her nails, something she hadn't done since she was a child.  A lot of things had crossed her mind by now: that they were dead was the one that was at the forefront, pushing any positive thoughts away.  There wasn't much room for positive thoughts when everyone was saying that Noctis had been killed.  And if Noctis was dead, that meant that the others probably were too, since they would all gladly die for him.  She felt tears threatening to spill and pinched herself to make the feeling go away.  She couldn't cry, because if she did, she would fall apart, and this wasn't the time to fall apart.

            The stairs creaked as Cor came into the room.  She looked up at him expectantly.  "Any news?"

            He shook his head.  "They haven't tried to contact you either?"

            "Nothing yet," she said sadly.

            Cor sat down next to her, his form imposing next to her small, delicate frame.  He let out a heavy sigh, running his hand over the back of his head, pushing his bristled hair.  He looked tired and he wasn't bothering to hide it.  "I'm sure they'll contact us when they can," he said at length.  "The city must be in utter chaos right now."  He paused, as if he was searching for the right words.  "I'm sure he'll call soon," he said stiffly.

            "I thought Gladdy was crazy when he said he was going to go through with the Trials of Gilgamesh," Iris said with a small smile on her face.  "And I thought...when he left...that was the last time I was going to see him."  She scrunched her nose, swallowing, feeling that urge to cry again.

            "He did well.  He proved himself."  Cor faced her, smiling for a moment, before leaning back again.  "He did what I could never do."  He smirked.  "Gladio may be a little arrogant, but he knows what he's doing.  He _is_ the King's shield."  He pulled his sword out, resting it on his thighs.

            She nodded.  "You're right.  I know you're right."  He had to be.  "I just wish there was something I could do," Iris said, hugging her knees to her chest.  "Sitting here isn't helping anyone."  She eyed him as he cleaned his sword.  "Maybe you could teach me a thing or two."  He glanced up, his eyebrows raised slightly.  "I'm not a bad fighter already, but...I definitely have a lot left to learn."

            "And you're _how_ old, exactly?" he questioned, turning his eyes back to the sword.

            "Almost sixteen.  But that doesn't mean I don't know how to handle a weapon," Iris added indignantly.

            "I don't doubt that," he said with a chuckle.

            She frowned, pursing her lips.  "You're making fun of me."  He didn't respond, but a smile twitched at his lips as he ran the cloth over the blade.  "Are you forgetting that I'm an Amicitia?  I was training to fight as soon as I could walk.  My dad wouldn't have had it any other way."

            Cor smiled.  "Yes, I recall that was a regular argument in the Amicitia house.  Your mother wasn't happy about you learning to fight.  But she came around to the idea."  He laughed.  "I can remember her bragging to all the high society women about her daughter, who would one day become the King's shield."

            Iris watched him, her eyes shining.  She didn't remember much about her mother, who had passed away when she was very young, and it had always been a sore subject at home.  Her dad had never been one to talk about it, and she had always been afraid to ask.  Gladio had told her what he could, but this was definitely a new story.  "Thanks for telling me that, Cor."  She clenched her fists.  "Now I _know_ I can do this."

            "It'll be dangerous."  He turned his steely eyes to her.  "Things are getting worse out there.  The days are getting shorter, daemons are getting stronger.  When you're out there, you could be gone for days or even months.  And sometimes that means no hotels, no soft bed to sleep in—no running water.  You eat what you can catch, drink from the rivers."  She matched his expression and there was nothing but determination in her eyes.  "I know it sounds cliché, but it's kill or be killed."

            "I'm ready," she said.  "Please train me."

            A sigh escaped his lips as he stared at her.  "All right."  He raised a hand and placed it on her head, lingering a moment before pulling away.  He stood up and sheathed his sword.  "I can't guarantee your safety or even your life."

            "You don't have to," Iris said, getting to her own feet.  "I'm an Amicitia.  I'm here to protect Lucis, and I won't fail."


	16. Bittersweet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta reader for looking over this chapter again, even though I'd only added a few lines!

_"You look like shit."_

            _Ignis looked up from the table blearily, barely recognizing the large figure before him as Gladiolus Amicitia.  He removed his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes.  "I've been up all night studying."_

            _Gladio crossed his arms.  "You stayed at school all night?" he asked incredulously.  Ignis nodded, replacing his glasses.  Gladio narrowed his eyes.  "Aren't you supposed to be tutoring the prince?"_

            _"I had the night off.  Thankfully," he added, with a wide yawn._

            _Gladio chuckled.  "I don't know how you expect to get through your exams like that."_

            _Ignis straightened up, fixing him with a glare.  "Did you just come by to insult me, or do you actually have something to say?"_

            _"Well, not exactly," Gladio said, leaning in and gripping the back of the chair.  Before Ignis could protest, Gladio's lips were on his._

            _Ignis was startled, but he allowed it to go on for exactly three seconds before he put a hand on Gladio's chest and pushed him away.  "You realize we're in public, don't you?"_

            _"Yeah, but you're so cute when you're sleepy and your hair's all messed up," Gladio said with a laugh, tousling his hair even more._

            _Ignis couldn't help the smile twitching at his lips, but it soon switched to an expression of disapproval.  "Don't you have class?"_

            _"Let me walk you to yours."_

            _"Not necessary."  Ignis gathered his things into his bag and slung it over his shoulder as he got to his feet.  He started off, but Gladio caught his arm._

            _"We hardly see each other.  You're always so busy at the citadel."  Gladio looked genuinely troubled._

            _"As are you," Ignis replied, straightening his glasses.  He glanced around, noting the people slowly milling about nearby.  He lowered his voice.  "We agreed not to take this too seriously.  We both need to concentrate on our studies more than...each other.”  His eyes hardened somewhat.  “You're graduating—you can't afford to be distracted."  He frowned.  Gladio was barely listening to him, that was clear._

            _"I know we agreed," Gladio said.  "But that was before…"  He rubbed the back of his neck and Ignis noted the color rising in his cheeks and the way he could barely meet his gaze for more than a second or two.  "Things change, all right?  You can't stand here and tell me they haven't changed for you too."_

            _Ignis pursed his lips.  He couldn't.  But he scarcely wanted to admit it.  They had grown closer and closer over the few years since they had met, friends at first.  Ignis had comforted Gladio through a handful of bad breakups and drunk away the others, and it had only been recently that Gladio had realized the reason he could not make it work with any of those girls was that he was in love with someone else entirely.  The rainy night he confessed had been so cliche that Ignis had scoffed at first.  But in the end, he couldn't deny that he felt the same way.  "I graduate in a year," Ignis finally said.  "I need to focus on my studies until then."  He tried to ignore how Gladio's face had become so crestfallen.  "Let's keep things as they are until then."_

            _"Meaning?" Gladio pressed._

            _"Meaning…we can revisit our agreement then."  Ignis turned and started to walk away.  Soon Gladio fell into step beside him.  He reached up and tousled Ignis's hair again._

            _"I can live with that."_

 

Gladio held onto Ignis's arm as they boarded the train.  His grip was firm, but not too tight.  It was a steady reminder that he was there.  Ignis was not used to being blind.  He bumped into everything, he stubbed his toes, he tripped.  He had bumps and bruises in places he didn't even remember hitting.  It was embarrassing and disheartening.  He had lost all control of his life and…he hated it.  But, unfortunately, he was stuck with it.  At least for the time being.  He told himself as often as he needed to that his wounds would heal, and then he would be able to see again.  His eyesight might not be as good as it was before, but he could always get another prescription.

            "One more step—lift your foot more.  There you go."  He felt pressure on his back as Gladio guided him down the walkway.  "We're gonna sit here, to your left.  Watch your head."

            "Stop fussing," Ignis snapped.  He immediately regretted it.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean that."  Gladio helped him sit down.  His hands trembled, so he clutched the cane to steady them.  "I'm just…a bit frustrated, that’s all."

            "I know," Gladio said quietly.  "If it makes you feel better, you can bark at me any time."  Ignis bowed his head.  He wished he could see the look on Gladio's face right now, the look that went with that gentle voice—the look he had taken for granted.

            "Have Noct and Prompto boarded yet?"  He hadn't heard them, but they both had been so quiet since the incident in Altissia that it would have been difficult to even be aware of their presence.  It had only been a few days since the attack.  It was understandable that Noctis was still deeply affected, even traumatized.

            "I don't know," Gladio said, his voice exasperated.  "Do you want me to look for them?”  Ignis didn’t answer.  Gladio had been barely tolerating Noctis’s mood and his patience was wearing very thin.  “Noct is probably just sulking and Prompto, bleeding heart that he is, is probably trying to cheer him up.  He's wasting his time," he scoffed.

            "Stop, Gladio," Ignis said sharply.  "Try to put yourself in his shoes.  He's just lost someone very dear to him."

            "Put myself in _his_ shoes?" Gladio repeated incredulously.  "Are you kidding?  I've _been_ in his shoes.  Ever since Galdin!  And did you see me moping around, acting like the world was ending?  No.  I let myself grieve and I moved on.  I didn't let it get in the way of my duty.  He's acting like a child, and you need to stop defending him and babying him."  Gladio sighed and Ignis could sense his tension and anger, even though his voice was lowered.

            Ignis adjusted his glasses instinctively, though they were useless now.  "I don't want to argue with you.  We're all on edge—I know—but we need to be united.  We need to be a team."  He felt Gladio turn away from him, heard the breath escape his lips.  "Please, Gladio."

            "I know I said you have a part to play in all this," Gladio began with a heavy sigh, "but I think you might want to consider that you've already played it."  He stood up.

            "Gladio," Ignis protested.

            "I'm going to find them," he said abruptly.  "Just stay put."

            Ignis removed his glasses, covering his eyes with his other hand.  This was it.  He was no longer useful to the team.  He was a burden, nothing more.  And Gladio pointing it out was the most painful part.  He had been foolish to think that that man would always stand by him.  This was about the time that he would cry, but he couldn't even do that.  He felt panicked.  He had to get up, move around, just get out of here.  Ignis rose and entered the aisle with difficulty.  As he struggled to make his way through each car, he heard whispers, both pitying and berating, and he tried his best to ignore them.  He passed through another door and felt a rush of wind against his face.  It was so unexpected that he stumbled backwards.

            Gladio grunted as he caught him.  "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, once he'd gotten Ignis on his feet again.  "Can't you just stay put?"

            “Gladio,” Ignis murmured, barely audible.  “I’m sorry.  I needed to get away, just for a bit.”

            Gladio’s strong hands gripped Ignis’s arms.  “Well, you almost got yourself killed!”

            “Nonsense,” Ignis retorted.  “The train isn’t even moving.”

            “That doesn’t mean you can’t fall and break your neck,” Gladio muttered.

            There was a period of silence.  Ignis listened to Gladio’s labored breathing.  He was worked up—extremely so.  Was all that because of him?  “I’m all right,” he said, but Gladio didn’t relax his grip on Ignis’s arm.  “Did you find them?”

            “Huh?” Gladio grunted.

            “Noct and Prompto,” Ignis said.  “Are they on the train?”

            “I didn’t get that far.  I realized I was being…uh…a dick…and came back to apologize.”  Ignis raised his eyebrows.  “You were right.  He’s been through a lot.  I should give him a break.”  Ignis smiled.  He knew it took a lot for Gladio to say all those things.  There was a long exhale before he continued.  “And…I didn’t mean what I said to you.  Once your wounds heal, you’ll be showing us all a thing or two.”

            “Ha, I very much doubt that,” Ignis said with a rueful laugh.  He hoped his eyesight would return once the wounds healed, but only time would tell.

            “Let me walk you back,” Gladio insisted, his fingers curling around Ignis’s elbow.  Ignis started to protest, but Gladio added, “You’ll get stronger.  I know you will.  But for now,” he paused with a sigh, “I just want to make sure you’re safe.”  Begrudgingly, Ignis nodded and allowed himself to be led back to his seat.

 

Time on the train passed slowly.  For Noctis, every hour seemed to last a day.  The sharp pain in his chest had turned to a dull ache, and it was taking all of his energy just to not feel.  He had shut everyone out: Gladio, Ignis, even Prompto.  Each one had its own challenges.  He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for what had happened to Ignis and how he had not been there to prevent it from happening.  He was just angry with Gladio—they had started off their relationship butting heads, and he knew that the tattooed swordsman would never see things his way.  The thought of Prompto made Noctis sick to his stomach.  He was terrified to the core.  What if something were to happen to him?  He had managed to shake off those worries before, but now that he’d seen death so real right in front of his own eyes, he couldn’t ignore these fears any longer.  He wished he could send them all away.  He wished he could save them…like he was supposed to save Luna.  He was supposed to save everyone, but so far, all that he had left in his wake was death.

            He heard a soft knock at the door and when he looked up, there was Prompto, standing in the doorway, clutching a tray of food.  The fear and hurt that was already in his eyes was so painful that Noctis couldn’t even stand to look at him.

            “You haven’t eaten, so I grabbed this for you.”  Prompto took a few steps inside and carefully set the tray down on the bed.  He stood silently for a few seconds.  “I’ll leave you alone, then.”

            Noctis glanced up just as he was stepping out the door.  “Wait.”  Prompto stopped, his hand on the doorframe, but he wouldn’t turn around.  “Thanks.”  He saw Prompto’s shoulders heave and heard the tired sigh escape his lips before he disappeared.  This was the part he hated most of all: making Prompto feel this way.  He ate his dinner slowly, trying to convince himself that this was the way things had to be—that Prompto and everyone else were better off with the distance between them.  But when he finished eating, he found that he still wasn’t convinced.  He was willing to give up a lot, but not this.

            He found him in the dining car, stabbing peas onto his fork with a lonely expression on his face.  There were a few other people in the car and some of them looked at him as he walked by.  Despite trying to remain invisible, his presence on the train was well-known now.  The arguments he and Gladio had had nearly gotten them thrown off the train on more than one occasion.  But right now, he was focused on the blonde young man in front of him.  Rather than announcing himself, he simply slid into the seat across from Prompto, clearing his throat softly.

            Prompto glanced up at him, a mixture of confusion, fear, and elation in his bright blue eyes.  Neither one said anything.  Prompto stared for a while, but eventually turned once again to his dinner when it became apparent that Noctis was not going to speak either.  The truth was, he wanted to say something— _anything_.  But he didn’t know what to say.  He couldn’t find the words.  He had apologized over and over, but he knew better than anyone that it didn’t solve anything.  After a few minutes, Noctis stood up.  He thought about leaving, going back to that uncomfortable bunk and sleeping the rest of the night away.  Prompto couldn’t hide his crestfallen expression, although he tried.  He was still concentrating very hard on his peas when Noctis sat down beside him.  Prompto nearly dropped his fork when Noctis grabbed his hand under the table.  He leaned his head against Prompto’s and whispered, “I’m sorry,” even though the words were empty, even though they didn’t mean anything anymore.  But even so, Prompto adjusted his hand so that their fingers laced together.  They both knew the moment wouldn’t last, but it was bittersweet.


	17. He's Gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you to my wonderful beta reader! I wouldn't be able to do this without you!

            Noctis opened his eyes.  His head hurt—he was sore all over.  Touching the back of his head, he felt a wet spot.  Blood.  Probably from when he fell.  He was on top of a fast-moving train, speeding through unfamiliar territory.  He pushed himself up enough to see.  Realization hit him that he was alone and he may have been unconscious for quite some time.  His head reeled, but he remembered bits and pieces; explosions, shattering glass, fighting off MTs, the standoff with Ardyn on the train.  He stopped.  It hit him like a bolt of lightning: Prompto was gone.  “No,” he breathed, denying it.  That couldn’t have been real—he couldn’t have really pushed him….He whirled around and around, scanning the countryside with eyes that were still adjusting to the light.  There was nothing, no one.  It was desolate and empty.  "Shit," he said, tears in his eyes.  “ _Shit_ ,” he repeated, his voice more desperate now.  “Prompto!” he shouted.  “Prompto!”  He yelled until his voice was hoarse, but it was useless.  He pulled out his phone with a shaky hand.  “Ignis,” he croaked.

            “You’re safe.  Thank God”  His voice was a little crackly at first.  “Where are you?”

            “He’s gone!” Noctis burst out.  Ignis sputtered a few words, but Noctis wasn’t listening.  “He’s gone—Prompto’s gone!  Dammit, he’s…” Noctis trailed off, biting back a cry.

            “Calm down, Noct,” Ignis’s voice came through clearly.  “Just calm down and get back inside.  We can’t do anything for him now.”

            Noctis knew Ignis was right, but he could hardly calm down.  Not now.  Not after what had just happened.  He stumbled to the nearest hatch and dropped to his knees.  “Dammit,” he muttered through gritted teeth.  He yanked at the hatch, but it didn’t budge.  “Dammit!” he cried, slamming his fist down with so much force that it dented.  He grabbed onto the hatch again, pulling with all his might and growling.  He descended into the train, his feet treading on broken glass, further evidence that the hell he was going through now was real.  As he stumbled through the train, he heard cries of people in pain, injured, from the attack.  He imagined it must have been chaos before.  Feeling a sharp pain in his forehead, he held his hand to his head.  The pain was blinding, but he couldn’t stop.

            "I want to go back for him," Noctis said as soon as he had reached Gladio and Ignis.  "You need to stop this thing."

            "We can't," Gladio said firmly.

            Noctis turned to him, his eyes wide, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger.  “Are you kidding me?!  This is Prompto we’re talking about!  He’s alone out there—we can’t leave him behind!”

            Gladio straightened up and seemed to tower over him.  “We need to get these people to safety.  We can’t involve them in this mess.  And without the train, we lose our ride.”  There was a sadness in his expression, but Noctis refused to give him credit for it.

            "Then _I'll_ get off and _you_ can keep going!" Noctis protested.  He grabbed the door and prepared to yank it open, but someone caught his arm.  "Ignis," he said through gritted teeth, "let go of me right now.  You know more than anyone how important this is."

            Ignis didn't loosen his grip.  "If you jump out there, you'll likely die from exposure before you find any trace of Prompto."

            "I can't just leave him out there!" Noctis nearly shouted.  His knees felt weak suddenly and buckled underneath him.  Gladio caught his other arm, but Noctis was already on his knees.  "It's my fault!" he cried.  "I pushed him!  I…fell for Ardyn’s trick and—”  His breath caught in his throat as the realization hit him.  He had chased Prompto through the train—he had tried to kill him.  He raised a shaky hand to his face.  “He could be dead, and it’s all my fault!”

            "Dammit, Noct, you're stronger than this!" Gladio growled, grabbing the back of his jacket and forcing Noctis to face him.  "And so is Prompto!  He’s not going to give up, and you can’t either!"

            "Shut up!" Noctis yelled, shoving Gladio away.  He didn't care how crazy he sounded.  He felt like his world was crumbling around him, now more than ever before.  He felt as if he was losing his mind.  How did all of this happen?  A few months ago, he and Prompto were sitting on the couch playing video games—how had it come to this?  "Just leave me the fuck alone!"  Noctis got to his feet and attempted to get by, but he only met resistance.

            "Noct, wait," Gladio said, grabbing a hold of his arm, his grip strong, but not strong enough to hurt.

            "Let _go_ ," Noctis snarled, drawing his arm back and slamming his fist into the swordsman's jaw.  As soon as he was released, he trudged away, not looking back.  He wiped his eyes as he stumbled down the corridors, heading towards the sleeping quarters.  People stared at him as he went by; they murmured and whispered, but he didn't care.  He just wanted to get away.  It was too late to leave the train.  They'd gone too far and Ignis was right—he probably would get himself killed before ever reaching Prompto.  "Dammit," he muttered once inside the room.  How could he have let this happen?  How could he have let Ardyn trick him?  It was bad enough Ardyn was messing with _him_ , but what would he do to Prompto?  It wasn't that Prompto was weak—he was probably stronger than Noctis, in certain ways—but could he survive out there?  Alone?

            There was a knock at the door nearly an hour later, and he lifted his head.  "What?"  The door slowly slid open and Noctis glanced up.  "How'd you find me?"

            Ignis stepped inside and closed the door behind him.  "You're loud," he said matter-of-factly, and Noctis couldn't refute that.

            "If you came here to try to make me apologize, it's not happening," Noctis said flatly, staring at the top of the bunk above him.  "Gladio thinks that tough love shit works every time, but it doesn't."  Ignis didn't respond, as he was too focused on trying to sit down.  Noctis watched him, then jumped up to help.  "Careful!" he said quickly, shielding Ignis's head.

            "Thank you," Ignis said once he had taken a seat.  "I just came to keep you company.  I can't do much anymore, as you can see, but I can at least do that much."  The last thing Noctis wanted to do was to make Ignis feel he wasn't needed, but he really wanted to be alone.  "He does mean well," Ignis said gently.  "But I agree, he depends far too much on tough love."

            Noctis raised an eyebrow.  "He treats you that way too, huh?"

            "Surprised?"

            "A little."  Noctis didn't express why, but it was obvious the two were more than just friendly, though he wondered if either of them had ever acted on their feelings.  He sighed heavily, staring out the window.  "Ignis, he's out there somewhere.  He's alone or, worse, Ardyn has him.  I just keep thinking of what he did to Luna and I can’t help but worry the same thing will happen to Prompto."  His voice was catching in his throat as he continued, “Ardyn’s doing this to get to me.  If he…gets his hands on Prompto, he could…”  He turned to look Ignis in the eye, fresh tears leaking from his eyes.  "How can I live with myself if something happens to him?  I’m just sitting here, doing _nothing_ , while he’s suffering!"

            Ignis clutched his cane, furrowing his brow.  "This isn't your fault, Noct.  None of it is."

            "Yes, it is!" Noctis said desperately.  "He'd be here if it wasn't for me!"  He swiped at his eyes angrily.  "And the worst part is, he probably has no idea that I was tricked.  He probably thinks I did it on purpose!"

            "I don't think you're giving Prompto enough credit," Ignis said, reaching out and finally laying his hand on Noctis's knee.

            Noctis let out a frustrated growl, covering his face with his hands and knocking Ignis’s hand aside.  He was powerless to fix this, trapped in this fast-moving prison, and all he could think of was the myriad of unpleasant things he had said to Prompto over the past few weeks.  And not only what he had said, what he had done—how he ignored him, pushed him aside, treated him like a stranger to be kept at a distance.  So much had happened, he didn’t know how to deal with it anymore.

            “We’ll find him.  Together,” Ignis said.  “But you need to keep your emotions in check.  You need to be strong.”

            Noctis felt Ignis’s hand on his shoulder; a light squeeze, and then he was gone.  Strong.  He didn’t know how to be strong.  He felt like a child again.  When he had lost his mother, at least he had had his father and Luna around for comfort.  But now…now he had no one, no one who truly understood him.  This was all starting to feel like a nightmare, one that he would never wake up from.  He couldn’t see the end of this, he couldn’t picture a world where things turned out right, no matter how hard he tried.  “I’m gonna find you,” he murmured.  “I have to.”

            Despite everything, sleep came easily that night.  But while he slept, he dreamed of the events of the day, of Prompto, Magitek, and Ardyn.  Noctis reached for Prompto, stretching his arm, his hand, his fingers until it hurt.  But it was no use; he was just out of reach.  _Just a little further_.  Prompto called his name, crying out to him, begging him to reach farther.  But it seemed that the closer Noctis’s fingertips got to his best friend’s hand, the farther apart they drifted from each other.  He gritted his teeth, letting out a soundless scream as he reached one more time.  He was going to make it—Prompto was within his grasp this time.  And then he was gone.  Prompto disappeared in a swirling cloud of smoke.

            He cried out, sitting straight up in bed.  He was drenched in a cold sweat.  For a moment, he expected Prompto to be by his side, to ask sleepily if he’d had a nightmare, and then to tell him everything would be okay.  He curled his fingers tightly around the blanket as the tightness in his chest increased.  It hurt so much, not knowing where Prompto was and being powerless to help him.  But even so, he couldn’t imagine what Prompto was going through right now.

 

\---

 

            Prompto awoke with a start.  He was shivering—he was freezing to death, drifting in and out of consciousness as he sat in the cave.  Outside a blizzard still raged on, but without proper gear, he had no hope of surviving.  He would likely die as it was, with the mere shelter this rock gave him.  Death.  Maybe…maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.  Maybe it was just like going to sleep, only…never waking up.  Maybe that would be easier than this.  Struggling to stay warm, struggling to stay alive…that was too hard, and he was so tired.

            He woke up again and, with his head resting on the cold cavern floor, he stared blearily ahead.  The fire had gone out, but he could just make out a long, dark shadow.  He squinted and as his eyes slowly came into focus, he saw a dark figure at the mouth of the cave.  “Now, now, I can’t have you going off and dying on me.  You’re a crucial part of this story, after all, and you’re not quite done yet.”  Ardyn Izunia tossed a bundle of clothing at his feet.  Prompto wanted to scream and cry out, but he couldn’t.  He was too cold and too tired, and he wasn’t sure if this was really happening or not.  He just stared ahead, shivering.  “Stay warm, little soldier.”  And then he was gone.

            He couldn’t remember putting the clothes on.  He couldn’t remember starting the fire.  But when he woke up again, he was warmer, his teeth were no longer chattering uncontrollably—he was alive.  He ran his hands over the coat, his lip curling.  Ardyn had given him this.  _And these_ , he thought bitterly, turning his gloved hands over and over.  Everything.  Everything that he was wearing, from the fur-lined boots to the knitted cap on his head, was given to him by Ardyn.  He wished he had never put them on.  He wished he had the strength to say no and just die, but…

            “I’m afraid,” he murmured.  He put his head in his hands.  “I don’t want to die.”  The tears stung as they slid down his cheeks, which were burnt and chapped from the harsh wind and cold.  He pulled his knees to his chest, resting his head down, muttering, “I just want to see him again.  If there is a god, please—just—just let me see him again.”  He wasn’t ready for this.  He wasn’t ready for this flood of emotions that was now hitting him like the very train he had fallen off of.  Since that day, he hadn’t had time to process anything.  Noctis had come after him.  He had been violent—he had threatened him.  He…he hadn’t been himself.  And the confrontation with Ardyn on the train…he must have missed.  Yeah, he was _aiming_ for Ardyn, but he just missed.  Why would Noct want to hurt him?  He raised his head and turned his wrist over, staring at the band that hid his source of shame.  Did Noct know about who he really was?  He quickly drove those thoughts from his head.  No one knew.  How could they?  He had always been careful…so, _so_ careful.  He had wanted to tell Noct so many times but…it had never felt right.  What if he got angry?  What if he got upset?  What if he never spoke to Prompto again?

            He shivered.  Their relationship had already suffered over the deaths of King Regis, and then Lady Lunafreya.  Noctis was like a different person, a shell of his former self.  He wondered if things could ever go back to normal, when this was all over.  “If I don’t die out here,” he muttered.

            Prompto glanced at the cave entrance.  The storm seemed to have let up a little.  He needed to get out of here and find a way back to civilization.  Sitting here shivering wasn’t going to do him any good, and the fire had just about gone out as it was.  He stood up slowly, stumbling a little on his stiff legs, and stomped the fire out with his boots.  He kicked and scattered the embers because, for the first time on his journey, he felt he needed to cover his tracks.  He didn’t want anyone to find him.  Without any more hesitation, he walked to the mouth of the cave and, tugging his cap down over his ears, he stepped out into the snow.

            Almost immediately, it became apparent that he had misjudged the weather.  The blizzard was still going strong and the wind was gusting in every direction.  It didn’t take long for his face to start to freeze.  His eyebrows and the ends of his hair were covered in frost, and any moisture on his skin turned to ice.  He was turned around—he couldn’t have pointed north to save his life.  He could barely see through the near whiteout, and he had gone far enough that he could no longer see the cave that had been his shelter.  _This is it_.  He fell into the snow in a heap, and as his eyelids fluttered closed, the Magitek soldiers appeared.  He hoped death would take him before they did, but no such luck, he thought ruefully as he felt their cold fingers around his arms.

 

_Noctis was giving him that look again, that questioning look he always had on his face when Prompto slipped up or said too much.  He tried to ignore it, but Noctis wasn’t going to—not this time.  “So, your parents.  They’re never home,_ I’ve _never met them, they didn’t even come to your graduation—what gives?”_

_“Hm?” Prompto asked, pretending he wasn’t really paying attention.  He barely glanced up from his comic book._ _This was not the first time Noctis had asked questions about his parents.  Ignoring his questions had worked so far, but Noct had become more persistent as they got older.  When Prompto was younger, he thought it was normal to have parents that were never home.  They were working hard to provide a better life for him.  That was why they were not at home during the day and were sometimes absent for several days at a time.  He had never really thought about it until he had gotten a bit older and a bit more curious.  He would see families together at the park, parents attending recitals at their children's schools, but his never showed up.  He remembered the Argentums being around a lot more when he was little, but as he grew, he saw them less and less.  And then there was that evening that they had sat him down and explained about where he came from and how they weren't_ really _his parents.  They had agreed to raise him and to keep an eye on him until he was of age; they had agreed to provide him shelter and food, a place to call home.  They had also told him that the barcode was a mark of his Niflheim heritage and to keep it hidden at all times.  If people knew where he came from, they would not accept him and they may try to send him back.  Looking back, he would not have called his childhood bad.  It was just...different.  And it was something he didn't want Noctis to know about.  One of his recurring nightmares featured the prince finding his barcode, and then having him deported back to Niflheim.  It was a little silly—he knew that—but it still scared him.  The thought of Noctis finding out and thinking any different of him was terrifying.  What if he was branded a spy?  It_ was _awfully convenient that he was best friends with the Lucian prince._

_“Stop playing dumb,” the prince said, snatching the comic book out of his hands._

_“Hey!”_

_“Stop lying to me, okay?” Noctis said, his tone tinged with anger and maybe a little hurt._

_“I’m not lying about anything,” Prompto said, his brow furrowed.  This conversation made him extremely uncomfortable and it was very dangerous.  “My parents aren’t around much.  They’re scientists, and they’re busy.  It’s not like I never see them or anything,” he said, attempting to brush the whole thing off._

_“I want to meet them,” Noctis said stubbornly._

_“No way!” Prompto exclaimed.  Was he being irrational?  Was this not normal?  Why did Noctis want to know so much about his parents, anyway?  He wracked his brain, searching for the right lie.  It still stung a little, all this lying, even after five years.  But he had no choice; he had to be careful._

_“Why not?” Noctis demanded.  He seemed really annoyed now.  “Are you ashamed of me or something?  You think they won’t approve?”_

_"It's not that," Prompto said defensively.  That was the least of his worries.  There was nothing shameful about Noctis.  All the shame fell squarely on his own shoulders.  For a moment, Prompto toyed with the idea of just telling him the truth.  They were together now, they knew everything about each other, they told each other everything—every joy, every fear, every anxiety.  Except Prompto had been keeping most of his fears hidden.  Everyone was much happier around him when he put on his smiling, happy-go-lucky mask; it even worked on himself sometimes.  He had way too much baggage to be this close to the prince, but...it had just happened.  Noctis deserved better—Prompto knew that—but he couldn't imagine life without him.  Not anymore.  And if Noct found out that he was a Nif, then he would leave.  He would disappear from Prompto's life forever._

_"Then what is it?"  Noctis's tone was gentler now, but he still was determined to get what he wanted.  "You can learn a lot about people from who their parents are.  I just want to see where you came from."  Prompto's breath caught in his throat.  Where he came from.  His eyes flicked to his wrist, where the barcode was hidden underneath his sweatband.  No.  No, no, no.  He had decided.  Noct could never find out about where he really came from._

Prompto was beside himself.  He didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to think.  An MT?  He was an _MT_?  He was genetically engineered, his father was a murderer, a crazy Niflheim scientist, and now…he was dead.  Prompto stared at the pistol in his hand, turned it over.  He expected to see blood, something grotesque, something incriminating.  Over and over, he told himself that it was self-defense.  Logically, it seemed that way, but nothing about today had been logical.  He felt like he was losing his mind.  A few hours ago, he had known practically nothing about his past, and now he wished he could go back.  He wanted to be ignorant.  He wanted to be clueless.  He wished someone would just wipe his memory.  He wished…he wished….

            “Just die,” he said to himself.  He raised the gun to his head, feeling the cold barrel against his skin.  Realizing he was holding his breath, he inhaled shakily, then grit his teeth.  But he couldn’t do anything.  Even though he’d be better off, his friends would be better off— _Noct_ would be better off.  He let go and the pistol fell to the floor with a clatter.


End file.
